


Taken

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Bottom Eren Yeager, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Inspired by Sex Pistols even though I didnt finish it, Jealous Levi is cute, Levi wants that Jaeger booty, M/M, Minor Farlan/Eren, PRINCE!LEVI, Past Levi/Petra, Slow Build, Smut, Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Why is the tag Yeager and not Jaeger, Yaoi, ereri, heavy/medium/light seed, i suck at titles and summaries, implied mpreg b/c sex pistols, levixeren - Freeform, more couples/characters to be added later, more tags to be added later, riren - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-10 14:16:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3293462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren's parents rarely let him leave their small cabin located deep in the forest and he doesn't know why but he doesn't dare challenge them. So, when his mother offers to let him accompany her to town, he accepts it heartily without hesitation. But, on the day of Eren's first visit to the town after four years, Prince Levi is making a surprise visit to the people of Shinganshina district.</p><p> </p><p>  <strong> !!DISCONTINUED!! PLEASE GO TO CHAPTER 8 FOR MORE INFORMATION.</strong></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prince Levi

**Author's Note:**

> HiHi! Thank you for stopping to click on my story and I hope you enjoy the story~ You are welcome to leave feedback and I hope you do~ Thank you <3 I'm sorry if the chapter's excessive but I was on a roll and I didn't know when to stop. Also, all my works are FIRST DRAFT which means I don't proofread or edit them unless someone asks me to or points out a mistake. There will 100% be either grammar and/or misspellings so I hope you won't mind them. <3 Also, I'm terrible at titles so if any of you have any title suggestions, please leave it in the comments ~

* * *

 

Eren gazed at the blazing orange flames flickering with life. He scrutinized every part of the hearth, from the darker orange hues around the tips of the flames to the sound of the crackling wood. It kept the spiritless teen occupied from the urge to run outside and experience the transition of the seasons, where the slightly clouded sun clashed with the cool breeze of the upcoming autumn season. The boy's mother was too engrossed in cooking to help relieve Eren of his rising boredom. The occasional clang of metal pots and ladles would catch his attention briefly before he returned to either staring into the heart of the hearth or admiring his father's handiwork in building the small yet capable cabin. He had built the small cabin from his favourite wood—red cedar, which is abundant in the forest that surrounded the clearing their small home occupied. Eren's mother emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her already stained apron and frowning in discontent. 

"Eren," the woman with chocolate-brown locks identical to her son's called. Eren looked up from the floor of the cabin, deciding that the hard wood was more comfortable than the worn, old couch. 

"Yes, Ma?" 

Carla bit her bottom lip gently, hesitating in her sudden decision. "Would you like to come into town with me today?"

Eren's ears perked and he sat upright, his jewel eyes lighting up in an instant at his mother's sudden suggestion. "You're allowing me to?" Eren hadn't gone into town since he was twelve, which was four years ago. He could sparsely remember how it looked or how to even get there.

"Yes, now if you want to go, then quickly get dressed," Carla instructed, glancing out the window before turning her attention back to her son who had already scrambled into his room. When he came back, she informed him, "We have to be back before the sun sets. Your father would not be pleased to know that I let you go into town."

Eren nodded his head in understanding as Carla took off her soiled apron and stuffed it away in a lower cabinet to use as a rag later on. She draped the cloak over her shoulders and buttoned it, repeating the same action for Eren despite his protests that he wasn't a kid anymore. The two left their warm homes and outside, it had cooled down considerably compared to the scorching summer heat. Eren wished he had worn more than just a thin long-sleeved shirt because he was beginning to shiver as they made their away into the heart of the forest. They had been walking a long while now and Eren couldn't remember the trek being this long. In fact, he couldn't remember the path at all. He pulled on his mother's long cloak, asking if they were anywhere near the town. She asked him to guess for himself at which he rolled his eyes at and pouted. As they kept walking, Eren could distinctly hear the hustle and bustle of the active village. As they neared the noises, Eren could see the dim lighting of the orange oil lamps hanging from houses and placed everywhere around town to give sight. Carla stopped her son by extending an arm in front of him.

"Put on your hood." He did as he was told, pulling the cloak over his face so that only his rosy lips showed. Carla repeated the action and Eren had to walk slower because he couldn't see well with the cloak hindering his front view. He opted for clinging onto his mother's cloak to guide him. How she was able to maneuver herself through the thick crowd and not crash into anyone, he never knew. They stopped in front of a small shop and Carla unveiled herself as she closed the door, the small chime welcoming them.

"Carla!" A woman's voice called and Eren's mother was pulled into a quick hug. "I haven't seen you in weeks! Where have you been?" The middle-aged woman's eyes flickered to Eren and she gave him a small smile. "I presume this is your son?"

"Yes," Carla replied, squeezing the woman's hand slightly. "I decided it would be healthy to take Eren out once in awhile. Besides, I needed a new apron."

"You came to the right shop!" The woman chirped. "I'll get you one, wait right here."

The woman retreated to the back of the store as Eren and Carla waited patiently. Eren was rocking on the tips of his toes, his heart pounding mildly from the excitement of being in town. "Ma, can we stay a little longer?"

His mother contemplated for a short moment. "I guess I could pick up more bread and cheese," his mother replied, giving him a warm small, her eyes crinkling a bit as she did so. Eren loved his mother's smile—it was beautiful and whenever she smiled, it felt like he was staring into the sun because it was that radiant. Her smile warmed him and he couldn't help but break into a wide grin himself. The bubbly woman came bouncing back.

"Here," she handed Carla the fresh, new apron.

"How much is it?" 

"Just ten notes for you." Carla handed her friend the money.

The two conversed, leaving Eren to wander around the store by himself. His eyes watched out the window as the townsfolk ran past the windows, all of them seeming very excited about something. He furrowed his eyebrows and approached the window, watching as children, teens, and even adults ran towards what he remembered as the town square. Curiosity began to nip at his mind and he glanced back at his mother and her friend. The two were near the back of the store, engrossed in gossip of some woman he didn't catch the name of. He bit his lower lip, contemplating.

_Would it be smart to roam by myself?_   He wondered as he watched a crowd beginning to form around the square. His curiosity got the better of him and he stealthily slipped out of the already partly-opened door. As soon as he was out, he made a run for it towards the crowd, others running alongside and behind him. The incessant murmurs grew louder as he stood behind a horde of people. Indistinct conversations flooded his ears and he frowned, not accustomed to hearing so much noise at once. A loud horn sounded and he jumped in surprise as the onlookers' conversations faded.

"The Kingdom of Sina presents to the district of Shinganshina, Prince Levi!" A loud voice bellowed. The crowd of people cheered, some clapped, and some wore expressions of disdain, choosing to scowl instead of hoot like everyone else.

Eren hopped up and down, trying to see over the mass of people but it was futile. He huffed, eyes etching together as he tried to push past people. It was no use. He decided he would give it one more attempt and give up if it failed. He tried to shove his way past a particular man with a large pot-belly and the man glared at him. "Get out of the way, kid!" The crude man shouted as he shoved Eren.

Eren stumbled and landed face-first onto a slightly bumpy stone path and his forehead was scratched along with his cheek. Fortunately, his nose didn't bleed, but his face hurt like a rock was just thrown at him. But in this case, he threw himself at the rock. Eren groaned as he clutched his face, still laying on the floor. He sat upright and the blood from his face drained when all eyes were on him.

"Hey! Get out of the way, kid!" Eren looked up towards a man on who was clutching the reigns of two horses which was pulling along a carriage. The carriage opened and a short man wearing garments with the king's colours—dark royal blue, white, and gold. Although he was fairly short, Eren could tell that he wasn't scrawny, in fact, he was the exact opposite. A gold crown with dazzling multicoloured jewels sat atop a head of darker than black hair. His bangs were parted slightly on the right and it contrasted with his porcelain skin and fell slightly into his icy, calculating steel eyes that sent unknown shivers down Eren's spine. The word beautiful is an understatement because the man was more than just beautiful—he was breathtaking and entranced Eren, making his heart race. He faintly noticed that an alluring smell was coming from the man too. He was so lost in his reverence that he hadn't realised the crude stare of the man.

"Brat, are you just going to sit there or are you going to get the fuck out of the way?"

Eren blinked, perplexed. He had only heard his father say that 'f' word once and it was when he stepped on a caterpillar—his father's deathly afraid of caterpillars. The man sighed and strode over to the young boy.

"Prince Levi!" The man steering the horses called, "Don't go near that filthy child!"

The prince sighed as he folded his arms across his chest. "You damn brat, are you deaf?" The onyx-haired man hissed, steel eyes glowering down at him.

"I- Uh- I.." Eren sputtered, his palms perspiring and his heart pounding loudly in his ears.

"Move!" Prince Levi barked, narrowing his eyes at him.

Eren hiccuped, an odd habit he had whenever he was afraid. The prince arched a thin eyebrow. Eren hiccuped again and scrambled to his feet, hurrying off to the side and pushing past the crowd that had gone eerily silent during the entire ordeal. He ran somewhere, anywhere. As long as it was far from the terrifying prince and the bystanders that didn't offer any help. He huddled himself on the stone steps and hot tears pricked his eyes. He had never felt so... So terrified. He had never had so many eyes on him and the prince's harsh steel eyes branded themselves into his mind. He wanted to cry, but he was already sixteen and refused to let himself be pushed to the brink of wanting to be babied by his parents again. That wouldn't prove to them that he was ready to face the outside world and venture on his own. After a long time re-evaluating what had happened before, he sighed and stood up. 

His mind wandered to the prince again and a warm feeling spread throughout his body. As terrifying as he was, Eren couldn't help but admit to himself that the prince was indeed very handsome. Eren's eyes wandered to the sky and he gasped, the sky was darkening at a quick rate and his emerald eyes widened in anxiety. He had been gone too long. His mother would be worried and think he got kidnapped or something worse. With the guidance of the oil-lamps hanging from the houses, he tried to retrace his steps. After a long while, he realised he was completely lost. A cry startled Eren and his heart rate began to pick up quickly again as he froze in his spot. Raucous voices came from around the corner and a scream of a boy echoed through the empty, darkest section of the town. No one else except Eren was around because they were too preoccupied with fawning over the prince.

Eren peeked around the corner and in the low orange light and slight luminescent shine of the moon, he could see a boy around his age with medium length blonde hair fighting struggling in the grip of a man in shining steel armour. He recognized the insignia on the right upper arm—a gentian blue wing overlapped by a white wing. His father had drawn pictures of it and told him to run if he ever saw anyone with the insignia. Eren wanted to run, he wanted to escape so badly but he couldn't. Not with the boy obviously about to get kidnapped by the king's men. Eren's hatred for the king and anyone to do with him began to grow more and more. He saw the boy be tossed over the shoulder of a Nordic giant with neatly combed blonde hair. He held the boy still as another man muffled his screams with a piece of cloth. Eren hiccuped but looked around for anything to use as a weapon. The adrenaline in him overpowered his fear and he found a small flower pot and a broken broom outside a small home. He picked it up and waited around the corner, watching as the two men and their hostage approached. He crouched low to hide himself in the shadows and when they rounded the corner and passed him, he yelled, springing up and smashed the small pot onto the head of the one not carrying the boy. He swung the wooden end of the broom at the other one's head and he yelped out in surprise, dropping the blonde as if he was a potato sack. 

Eren grabbed the blonde's hand and yanked him up roughly, sprinting through alleys and turning corner after corner. The soldiers had recovered already and were hot on the trail. Eren's lungs burned and his breaths were shallow as he forced his legs to run faster. The blonde yanked Eren by their connected hands and pulled him into a small opening in a house. He covered Eren's mouth as the two soldiers ran past where they hid. Eren's heart thudded painfully in his chest and when they were sure that the guards had passed them long ago, Eren pried the boy's hand off, taking in deep breaths to soothe his burning lungs. The two stayed like that for a long time, both recovering from running extensively and from the fear of being caught.

"Thank you," a smooth, shy voice whispered, still a little breathless. It was dark so the boy couldn't see Eren give him a small smile.

"It's okay. I'm Eren."

"I'm Armin. Thank you so much for saving me."

"It was no problem, really. Why were they chasing you anyway?"

"Because I'm a light seed."

"Excuse me? A what?" Eren arched an eyebrow into the darkness, taken aback by Armin's response.

"Eh..? Do-Do you not know what you, yourself are?" Armin inquired, his voice full of shock.

"Well... I guess not..? I mean.. I'm Eren," the teen with emerald eyes replied, furrowing his eyebrows in bewilderment.

"No no no, that's your name. I meant do you know what animal category you file under? Or what seed you are?" Eren heard Armin sniff the air, coming closer to him and Eren instinctively moved away, a bit creeped out. 

"Uh... What the heck are you doing?" Eren questioned as he backed himself into a wall. Armin continued to advance, sniffing.

"You... I just noticed but you have a  _really_ nice smell.." Armin breathed as he smelt Eren again. "But it's faint.. And growing more dull."

"Armin.. Uh..." Eren stammered, not knowing what to do. "Where do you live? I'll walk you home."

Armin let out a short, bitter laugh. "I'm not from here. They took me from the Trost district. It's a four-day journey there on horse and at least two weeks by foot."

Eren was baffled. He couldn't understand why Armin was in the Shinganshina district then. What's a light-seed? What does he mean what kind of animal was he? A million questions raced through Eren's head all at once and he felt a bit dizzy from it all.

"Okay..." Eren began, pondering it over once more. "Then.. How would you like to come with me, to my place?"

 

 

 

 

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So, here's my drawing of Eren... It's pretty bad 'cause I messed it up a couple of times :'c

And here's my deviant if you wanna see more photos:

http://milkstory.deviantart.com/


	2. Farewell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, this chapter is fairly short but I really couldn't stay up any longer to finish it so I apologise! :'c Anyway, this explains the heavy/medium/light seed dynamics. Also, it's not exactly the same as Sex Pistols because I only borrowed the idea so if you think this is a Sex Pistols AU, please don't be fooled.
> 
> I'm sorry if this chapter was really bad but I have super-duper writer's block for this story 'cause I've been working on more drafts. I swear I have like 100 drafts saved... Also, I was going to make this chapter humourous but I decided against it because it's supposed to be a dramatic chapter and stuff but I wish I could have made it more funny T.T especially when Eren and Armin are escaping (Oops spoilers LOL)
> 
> AND I'M PROCRASTINATING ON MY AP BIO HW FOR YOU GUYS :'c better be happy! -cry- my grades!!

"Eren, are we lost?"

"No."

"Eren, are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm positive."

"Eren, I think we're lost."

"Armin! Just be quiet for a moment so I can think!" Eren huffed in frustration, plopping himself down on the dirt ground of the woods and folding his arms across his chest in an immature manner. His eyebrows were etched together as he concentrated in the solemn darkness. Were they lost? He couldn't remember the walk to town being this long. He cast his viridian eyes upward, watching as the sky had darkened into an abyss with twinkling eyes. In the soft glow of the moonlight, he could see Armin arching an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

"You live in the woods and you don't even know how to get back home? What did you do, sit at home all day?"

"Actually, yes. I was never allowed to leave home."

"What? Never?"

"Well, I was, but rarely. And I never went past the fence that borders our home. I've only went into town twice, counting this," Eren explained as the blonde boy took a seat next to him but not before kicking away the top part of the dirt.

"It's no wonder you don't know about yourself at all," Armin mused, resting his chin on his forearms. "You were isolated your entire life and they never told you anything?"

"Nope," Eren shook his head, his interest suddenly piqued about himself. "Would you mind explaining?"

"Sure. Well... How do I go about this... Uh, I guess I'll start off with the animal kingdom?" Armin spoke his mind as Eren rested his cheek on the back of his hand to look at him sideways. "The world is divided into branches of animals. For example, I'm a just a normal household dog. I'm not so sure what you are though. I've never met anyone who doesn't have a scent by the time they're twelve already. Anyway, the dog is a sub-branch of a wolf, which is the highest level of the dog family. And speaking of highest level, status is determined by what kind of 'seed' you are."

Armin began to subconsciously draw a chart in the dirt with a broken twig he had picked up. He drew a triangle and divided it into three sections, labeling the foundation of it light seed. "At the bottom of the chain is the light seeds, which is like me. But they're actually pretty rare. Light seeds have the capability to inherit an ancestral form, which I'll explain later." He began to write in the middle part medium seed. "Medium seeds are the common folk. They're just your everyday people. Nothing special, really. Most medium seeds are in the monkey family and they make up over sixty percent of the kingdom's population. The breed for the purpose of just... Uh, breeding, I guess? They don't have a lineage to carry basically because they're all just monkeys but I have met a few non-monkey medium seeds. They're fairly rare though. There are a few exceptions though and in some odd cases, some medium seeds can make a heavy seed, which is actually a lot more uncommon than a light seed."

Eren's head whirled with confusion as the boy talked incessantly, never once faltering in his speech. Did he practice for this or something? Armin wrote in the last box high seed. "Okay, now heavy seeds are people like royalty and the upper class. They have a domineering personality and will do anything to keep their lineage going. The only ones that can make a heavy seed are either a heavy and heavy seed or a light and heavy seed.

"Armin," Eren interrupted his new friend's explanation, "I'm getting sick of hearing the word seed."

"What do you want me to say then?" Armin pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows. "It's not my fault that's what they're called."

"I know, I know, but can we just... Refer to them as like... Fruit or something?"

Armin raised a deliberating eyebrow but decided to adjust."Uh, yeah... Fruit it is. Okay anyway," he continued on, "The heavy  _fruit,_ " he looked to Eren for approval before resuming which the boy gave, "Can either breed with a another heavy fruit or a light fruit. That's why light seeds, I mean fruits, are in so much demand by the upper class or royalty. They're sold for a very high price if the family is willing to sell away their child. If not, then usually they're taken by force or bribed."

Eren ground his teeth. Now he knew why his parents had forbid him from going out. He dig his nails into his hands, wanting to kill every last one of those heavy seed bastards. "Well, I think that's it."

"No," Eren quickly rejected, pulling his friend back down who was beginning to pick himself up. "What about that ancestroll form or something?"

He saw Armin roll his beryl eyes. "It's called ancestral, Eren."

"Yeah, yeah," he waved off the correction, "Just tell me about it."

"Light seeds with ancestral forms are so unique and rare that the king has actually sent out a specialized group in search of any with a form. They bear the form of two animals and their animal soul is that of the ancestor, not the dominating animals. But, even though we're rare and sought out, we're at the bottom because light seeds are, by instinct, submissive."

"Armin, I'm confused," Eren whined, pouting like a child. Armin sighed in exhaustion.

"I was confused at first too but once you see it it'll make a lot more sense. Anyway, two different species can breed but only one animal spirit will come out as the dominating form. In my case, I was made from a rabbit light seed and a dog medium seed and the rabbit form is the dominating animal so no one would even know I'm part dog."

Eren scrutinized Armin closer and he did have rabbit-like features; like the big, innocent eyes and small stature. Armin stood up and brushed his pants off and Eren did the same. The two began to walk again, hoping that their wandering would lead them to Eren's home. "Hey Armin," Eren began, looking at the smaller boy before continuing, "Why don't you know what I am?"

"People with scents are distinguishable. You can tell what a person is depending on their scent." He cast a sideways glance at Eren. "I'm not so sure why your scent doesn't say what you are. Maybe being oblivious to what you are made your scent dull? Or you're just a monkey. Monkeys have scents too but they're so common that it's as if they don't have any. Also, you can let out pheromones that attract others. I've never been able to do it and I'm not so sure how, honestly."

"Oh," Eren surmised, thinking about why his parents never told him about himself. He still wouldn't have left the house even if he had known so why not just tell him? The two had been walking a considerably long time before an dim orange glow came into view. Eren gasped, a smile forming on his face as he began to run towards the light, the blonde trailing just a little behind him. He stopped when he saw horses and a carriage in front of his home.

"Wait," he whispered, grabbing Armin's upper arm and pulling the boy down into a squat. "That's my cabin, but there are other people there." Eren's sage eyes watched the shadows inside the cabin move and he could distinctly recognize the form of his mother and father but there was a group of others in there with them. He stood up slightly, his back bent as he edged closer to the house, Armin in the same position and following him hesitantly. 

He crouched low, and took a peek through the window. He noticed a tall man clad in silver armour and he deduced that it was the men from before. "What do you see?" Armin asked in a hushed whisper, his voice slightly trembling. 

"I think the guys who tried to kidnap you are in my house," Eren whispered back as he poked his head up again. Their backs were to the window so he decided it would be safe to linger there. He saw three guards and a small man clad in the king's colours. He gasped, recognizing the small yet muscled stature with onyx hair and a gold crown sitting on top. He ducked his head back down, hiccuping as he glued his back to the cabin.  "The prince is in there."

"The prince?!" Eren slapped his hand over Armin's mouth, holding a finger up to his mouth in the universal signal for shut the hell up.

Eren removed his hand from Armin's mouth after a few seconds and the boy breathed a sigh of relief for some reason. "We should get out of here, I think they're searching for us."

"Will they do anything to my parents?" 

Armin shook his heads. "I doubt it. They're just collecting non-taken, young light seeds."

Eren decided to give one last parting look to his parents before returning into the woods to hide until the foreigners left. He poked his head up but a dark figure blocked his view and he scrunched his eyebrows together. What the-? He let out a terrified, slightly high-pitched shriek as he met with ash eyes boring down at him. He fell backward as the prince, with slightly widened eyes, stared at Eren. He looked back and yelled something to the guards.

"Run!" Eren shouted as he grabbed Armin's hand and yanked him up before turning around to sprint. Armin was close behind him as the metal armour clanked on the ground behind them.

"Armin, where do we go?!"

"How am I supposed to know?! You live in these woods!"

"But I told you, I was never allowed out!" He heard a stick snap and a startled cry before a loud thump followed with a grunt. Armin groaned as he rolled over to his side. The guards were just gaining on them but Eren couldn't leave Armin behind so he heaved the boy up, throwing his arm across his shoulder and balancing most of the boy's weight onto him.

"Eren, I can't run. You're gonna have to go on without me."

"Armin, I can't and I won't. Come on, we can find a place to hide if you just work with me." Armin began to limp as fast as he could and the two made slow but sure pace. Eren looked behind them and he knew they would catch them soon. He silently used all the curse words his father had taught him without his mother's approval and decided to dump Armin somewhere. They changed course again and out of sight from the guards.

"Eren, what are you doing?" Armin hissed as Eren set him down behind a shrub.

"I'll go divert their attention, you just hide here and don't get caught, alright?"

"Eren, no!" Armin clutched Eren's shirt but he easily pried the quivering fingers off. He untied his cloak and wrapped it around Armin.

"Don't get caught," he murmured, watching the blue-eyed boy get teary before running into plain sight of their chasers. He deliberately ran slow at first to let them gain on him so that they wouldn't focus too much on the fact that someone was missing. His lungs ached as he sprinted faster, making sure to hop over any jutting objects. When he looked behind him, there was no one chasing him. Flustered, he began to run back, his mind concentrated on the fact that they probably realised that Armin wasn't there. 

A blurred silver object in his peripheral right view caught his attention and a guard lunged himself at him but Eren managed to dodge it by throwing himself to the ground. He scrambled up but another guard grabbed his wrist, forcefully yanking him back and making him cry out in pain. Eren twisted his body and connected his fist with the soldier's face who groaned out in pain as he released Eren, clutching his face. There was one more but where- Where is he?!

"Eren!" Armin's distressed cry called him. He went towards where he left Armin, picking up a fairly large stick in the process. "Eren, don't!" 

A hard object knocked into his side as Armin and the blonde guard restraining him came into view and he cried out in pain as his head hit a rock. "Eren!"

The teen realised that it wasn't an object that slammed into him, but a person. Specifically the prince. He growled as the prince sat on top of him, pinning his wrists down with one hand while grabbing his neck in the other. He could  _smell_  the oppression and indignation rolling off of the royal bastard in waves that seemed to slap him across the cheek repeatedly. Prince Levi bent his head down, releasing his hand from Eren's neck and sniffing it. Eren froze, his body rigid as the prince began to take in his scent. 

"What the hell are you doing?!" Eren hissed as Prince Levi buried his nose in further and Eren held back a whine but couldn't suppress the hiccup.

"He's a light seed," Levi deduced as he brought his head back up. "Take this brat too."

Eren's eyes widened in surprise. Him? A light seed? Impossible! Armin would have known. He looked to Armin with perplexed, near terrified eyes and Armin's expression mirrored his. The two guards Eren had escaped from came back, their heads hanging low as they approached him and the prince.

"I will have a word with you two later," Prince Levi growled at the two, his tone merciless and eyes murderous. Prince Levi removed himself from Eren and he tried to get up but two pairs of hands held him down and cuffed his wrists and ankles. They pulled him up roughly, leading him back to where his cabin rested. He had protested and struggled the entire way but to no avail. They had him in a bind. 

"Eren!" Carla cried out as Eren reemerged from the woods. She ran over to Eren, only to be intercepted by the prince.

"This boy is my property now."

"What?!" Eren screeched as Carla stared at the shorter man in horror.

"No, he's our son and you can't-" Grisha began but was cut off.

"Eren has stepped into my territory so he is my property now," the raven informed as he flicked his head towards the fence. "He went past your borders."

"No," Carla hissed, her hazel eyes ablaze with resentment. "No, you can't do that! He's my son! Eren!"

A guard pushed his mother back and Eren's animosity exploded. "Don't you dare touch my mother you filthy pig!"

He struggled in his binds but the other guard held him back. "I'll have people sent over tomorrow to bring you your compensation money."

Carla eyebrows knitted together as she reached a hand out to her son. "No, please. Not my baby, please! He's all I have! Eren!"

The raven arched an eyebrow at her. "Just make another one."

Carla ground her teeth together. "No! Eren!" She cried, tears pooling from her eyes as Eren struggled to escape from the guard pulling him away. He slammed his head into the soldier's chin and struggled to his mother but he fell, the ankle braces digging into his skin as he landed face-first onto the ground.

"Mama.." Eren cried, tears pooling from his viridian eyes and hiccuped. "Mama!" He struggled as the soldier began to pick him up again, mumbling curse words at him and out of earshot of the prince.

"Eren!" Carla shrieked as she pushed away the other guard, only to be stopped by the blonde soldier. 

"Ma'am I suggest you go back into your home."

"Not without my baby! Eren!" She tried to shove past him but he stopped her, shaking his head in almost a pitying way. 

"I apologise, but he is Prince Levi's property now. Please understand."

"Understand?! He's taking away my child!" 

"Erwin, let's get going. I want to reach the castle by tomorrow morning," Prince Levi impatiently said as a bored expression took his impassive one. Eren set his jaw, wanting nothing more than to punch the nonchalance off his stupid face. 

Erwin nodded, picking up Eren and tossing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "No, no, no!" He heard his mother cry. His vision was blurry as hot tears blinded him but he could still see the soldiers subduing his mother and father.

"Eren! Please.... Not him."

"M-Mama," Eren whimpered as he felt himself being thrown into the back of a wagon. He screamed, kicking and flailing around in the covered wagon. 

"Erwin, shut this shitty brat up."

Thick hands grabbed his shoulders and he hissed, bringing his head up to hopefully slam his forehead into the man's chin but he knew it was coming and dodged it. "Sorry little guy," Erwin murmured and hit Eren's head, knocking him out instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, Sorry that this chapter was lameee... I was going to write a lot more but I ran out of time :'c  
> Also, I'll be posting a new story so please vote for which one you'd rather have:
> 
> 1\. An AU with teacher!Eren and student!Levi  
> 2\. AU where Eren and the others are part of an organization that is trying to eradicate monsters that have overrun the world  
> 3\. AU of actor/model!Levi and Eren who is jaded because Levi broke Eren's heart years ago  
> 4\. Assassin!Levi and I'm not so sure what to make Eren. Barista? Secret agent of another organisation?  
> 5\. Coffee shop AU  
> 6\. reincarnation (Not so sure what to do with this one yet)
> 
> I understand if these are vague descriptions but they're just topics so please vote up to THREE numbers only~


	3. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Hello~ Okay, so.. I'll be completely honest.. I think this is my shittiest writing ever omg. I improvised this entire chapter (Actually, I do that with every story/chapter) But I didn't expect it to be this... Idk... Terrible..? I mean, I could re-do it but I literally cannot think of anything else to write and I wanted to introduce Eren's animal so.. ta dah..~?
> 
> Anyway, Check out my art of Eren at the end of the first chapter!
> 
> Enjoy~

A bleak, lurid room greeted Eren, his head throbbing painfully against the freezing stone ground. He groaned out in agony, shifting onto his back and forced his eyes open, his vision dark with the lighting set to a low dim as the single torch on the wall was beginning to fade. He tried to sit up but his body screamed in anguish at him. He was sore to the point of being paralyzed. 

"Armin?" He dryly croaked out the only name he could register into his lagging mind. God, his throat was parched. 

"Eren!" A distraught, breathy voice replied and he recognized it to be Armin's. "Eren! Are you okay?" Raw hands pressed themselves to Eren's face and he cringed away from the touch. 

"Where are we?" Eren asked, his voice barely above a whisper and he turned his head to the side, just scarcely able to see Armin's shadowy figure hovering over him. 

"The dungeon."

Eren lifted himself up  with his elbows and managed to sit up despite his entire body protesting, but not without the help of the small blonde. Eren leaned his weight onto Armin, feeling the unnatural pulsing in the side of his head. 

"Why..?"

Eren didn't need to continue his sentence because the intelligent fair-haired boy knew what he was asking. "They brought all of us down here to wait."

All of us? He looked around the obscure room but only darkness met him. He listened closely, and the only sign of anyone else occupying the room besides them was the shallow breathing of multiple people and the occasional muffled sob. "When did we get here?"

"I'm not sure... But we haven't been here long." The boy began to subconsciously fiddle with Eren's slightly coarse chocolate-brown hair and Eren hissed when he slightly touched the part of excruciating pain that dictated his mind and body, ravaging it with the desire for relief. "Are you okay?" The blonde asked with concern evident in his weak voice.

Eren didn't respond for awhile, hoping to calm his senses. "Yeah," he finally replied after a long silence. "I should be." Metal clanked against the solid ground and he could hear some of the others inhabiting the same room squeak in terror. Armin stiffened and Eren watched as the dim flames threw shadows along the uneven walls, gradually becoming bigger and bigger as if the darkness was a predator ready to sink its teeth into their fears. Keys jingled and a moment later, he heard a click echo throughout the restrained cell, followed by the creaking of their iron cage opening. "Get moving, and don't you dare to utter a single word," an unknown man growled. Eren had no idea how anyone could see in this darkness but maybe it was because his eyes had not adjusted yet or because his injured head was blurring his vision. Whatever the case, he could not even move. He heard bare feet pad across the icy floor and heads passed the dying inferno hanging on the wall.

"What are you waiting for? Get moving!" The guard barked at the two boys still motionless on the floor. He stalked over to the two and Armin squeezed his arms tighter around Eren, like a helpless child protecting its broken stuffed doll. 

The man grabbed Eren's wrist and he cried out in pain as he was yanked up and fell onto his knees, the searing pain in his head bringing tears to his eyes. "Don't!" Armin pleaded, "he's injured!"

"I don't care." The rough hand forcefully hauled him onto his weak legs and pushed him out the cell, repeating the action for the blonde boy. Armin gripped Eren's upper arm tightly as the pair rancorously made their way through the elaborate dungeon, turning corner after corner and as they neared the exit, the torches burned brighter and Eren squeezed his eyes shut at the sight of other prisoners locked up like animals in a small cage, some of them sitting in their own blood or maybe the blood of the previous cell holder. Whatever the case, it made Eren want to claw his eyes out. The putrid odor of death and rusting iron mixed together formed a headache in the temple of Eren's head and he tried to block out the agonized pleas of the captured. It was too much for Eren to handle and he couldn't understand how Armin, the seemingly fragile teen, was leading them both.

 Ahead of them was an almost blinding light, its white rays washing out the despair and horror incarcerated in the labyrinth-like dungeon. When they escaped the cell, Eren had to squint because the luminous light fazed his vision and it took him awhile to adjust to the light. When his viridian eyes finally accommodated itself to the harsh brightness, he looked at Armin first and his eyes widened even more when he saw that a bruise adorned his jaw and a slightly deep gash embellished right above his eyebrows. He ground his teeth and clenched his fists. Whoever had done that to Armin would pay.

"Ar-"

"I told you not to speak!" The guard behind them roared, frightening Armin and making the throbbing in Eren's head worse and it felt like it would split in half at any second. They were quite literally shoved along, catching up with the group of youths, their ages ranging from ten to possibly even twenty. They were all different concerning appearances, but one thing that all of them had in common was very evident: They were all anxious. The group was aligned strictly according to age, having their poor postures fixed or the indignant expression wiped off their face with a simple point of the gleaming sword and Eren had been one of the people who had a blade nearly slicing his throat. The group of light seeds faced the door, shoulder to shoulder, eyes never allowed to be cast downward and their posture assuming a military style—their hands rigid by their sides and back straightened until they were as linear as a loaf of bread. Yeah, most of them couldn't maintain the stance for long because their backs would begin to ache and even the slightest relief had them being brought on their knees and head slammed onto the floor, only to be brought back up to assume the position once more.

 The grandiose double doors slowly creaked open, most likely for dramatic effect and the prince, in all his pompous grandeur, entered the room with head held high, and this time suited in different attire. He wore a simple dark coat over a vermilion shirt with a flawlessly pearl-white cravat tucked around his neck and a dark oxford blue, bordering on black, military jacket thrown over his shoulders, the gold buttons and shoulder pads polished to the point that it rivaled the sun. He slipped on obsidian gloves, lips pursed into an indifferent line as his perusing eyes scanned the line, lingering on Eren for a moment to scowl before he turned to the tall Nordic blonde giant he remembered as Erwin.

"I recall there being more of them," Prince Levi phrased it in an accusing way as he stared up at the man who towered over his diminutive yet overwhelming stature. 

"A few of them perished in the dungeon," Erwin blatantly disclosed, making Eren's eyes go wide and turn to Armin questioning him with his fearful emerald eyes. 

"No one told you to move!" The mercenary behind him nearly shouted in his ear, forcing him back into his original position. 

He clenched his fists as they remained stiff by him. Levi dismissed the other unnecessary guards with a flick of his wrist. When they left he sat on the velvet couch, resting the side of his ankle on his knee and throwing an arm over the back of the seat. "Make them stop standing so formal, it's bothering my eyes that they can't even do it correctly."

Erwin nodded to them and the group relaxed their stances, letting their marginally aching muscles bask in the relief. "So, I presume you all realise why you're here and I will skip right down to the main point," Levi divulged without hesitance. "Each of you will be designated a heavy seed master or husband or wife; call it whatever, but you will be sold off."

Gasps echoed throughout the room and Eren turned to Armin who had a horrified expression similar to his own. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. Eren just had his life ripped from him and now he would be separated from Armin, his first friend and only companion and even though they hadn't known each other for very long, he felt a strong connection to the petite boy.

"What did you just say?" Levi demanded, his voice dropping an octave as he glowered at Eren with eyes that had the intent to kill. 

Did he say something? Had he accidentally just voiced his opposition? He hiccuped as a nauseous wave of dread spiraled out of him, evidently not unnoticed by the prince because he leaned back with satisfaction at the fear Eren was emitting. 

"The smell of apprehension," Levi breathed, taking a good whiff of the mixed scents of trepidation even Eren could faintly smell. "I would say I love it, but I don't love anything. A more fitting choice of word would be... It brings me great  _enjoyment._ "

Eren swallowed down a lump in his throat his eyes clouded with resent for the short man he wished he could maul with his bare hands but the aggressive and domineering scent he was releasing from every fiber in his body screamed at Eren not to even look his way. But he managed to break loose of his instincts for a split second. "You sadistic bastard," Eren blurted, his voice quavered but he managed to say it with some sort of rebellious tone. 

Levi bolted from his seat and with long strides, reached Eren in no time and took him by the throat, throwing Eren onto the ground and on his back before he could even comprehend what was happening. A shrill cry rang through Eren's ears and he gasped as the pain in his head mandated him to scream. Tears flooded his jewel eyes and he clawed at the hand restricting much of his breathing. "It-It hurts," he whimpered, his body sending out distress signals as jolts of affliction whipped his head and neck. What was happening? He could feel his body fever and his began to numb and the pain began to subside, but he wanted to scream because it hurt—He didn't know what hurt but he knew he felt like his soul was being ripped apart. 

The hand released his neck and cursed. "What the fuck, what's happening? This smell-"

Eren wailed, coiling into himself as an immense amount of heat poured out of him and into the room, coating it in his scent. It wasn't visible but the thick aura wafted throughout the room, sending shivers down everyone's body and even bringing a few of the children onto their knees. It was overwhelming and enraged. 

"Eren!" Armin cried out as Eren clawed at his eyes this time, wanting to gauge his own eyes out but an icy hand stopped him, forcing his hands above his head.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" The prince yelled as Eren fought under his grip, losing himself to the torture. Hot tears fell down Eren's cheeks and he sobbed.

"Help me.. Please, kill- kill me if you have to. Just make it STOP!"

"Calm down you fucking brat!" Levi hissed, as he dug his nails into Eren's wrist, earning a small whine from the boy as he struggled. Eren convulsed, his breath coming out in short gasps as something awakened inside him. 

* * *

 

Levi pinned the brat down, having a difficult time doing so because shit- He was going fucking berserk. "Erwin!" Levi called for his trustworthy personal guard. "Get the vial! Now!" Erwin hastily left the room, as Eren began to exude a smell so oppressive that even he, himself, felt like surrendering but he knew he couldn't. Eren wasn't in his right mind and if he let him lose control now, things wouldn't end well, for any of them. Eren growled and hissed, thrashing like a wild animal under Levi but he held on tightly, biting his lower lip and tasting metallic as he did so. Fuck.

"Eren, you need to calm down," Levi tried to calmly order the boy who hissed and sneered at him. A roar erupted from Eren's throat which died off into a reluctant whimper. "Why- Why won't you kill me?"

Levi's left eye twitched. He had never heard anyone beg so desperately to be killed and it  _almost_ made him feel remorse but he didn't. Levi couldn't feel anything anymore except self-satisfaction, let alone guilt. "Just fucking stay still."

Levi's silver eyes widened as he began to witness an event that he never thought he would see in his entire life. Eren's right eye began to change colours, diluting into a auroral gold and his fuzzy black kitten ears revealed themselves. He waited for his cat animal soul to emerge but blazing gold eyes exactly like Eren's new right eye surfaced, followed by a reptilian head with sable horns that slightly curved upward. Eren lunged his head at Levi, the veins in his neck popping as he attempted to literally bite the man. The boy's multicoloured eyes widened in shock when an opened vial of clear liquid slid down his throat and he hissed, coughing the substance back out but inevitably, it had entered his system and would be taking affect soon. Eren's rage immediately subsided and his eyes drooped, his head lolling backward as his colourful eyes fluttered shut. Levi felt the boy's tense and angry muscles relax but he refused to release him until he knew for certain that the brat had fallen into unconsciousness.

When he was sure, he reluctantly let go and dusted himself off, gazing down at the comatose teen with skeptical eyes. Well, he knew for certain that Eren was a light seed but what he didn't know was that his ancestral soul was a dragon. A wicked smirk replaced his frown. "Bring him to my room," he ordered Erwin, who complied wordlessly but Levi could sense the perplexity and mistrust from the older man.

Levi had not considered wanting any of these dirty kids as a bride, but he just might take a certain jewel-eyed brat.

Okay so, this is my terrible quick sketch of Levi's attire because i like prince!Levi :3 Anyway, dont mind the terribleness of the drawing bcuz i just wanted you guys to know how his outfit looks~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback and constructive criticism are welcomed~
> 
> ******ALSO, if anyone voted for what story I should have posted (end of notes in previous chapter) I posted option 1 by popular demand! Go check out my story "Eren-sensei and Levi-kun" (I'll most likely be changing the title of it soon)*****


	4. His Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck. My. Life. 
> 
> So I accidentally posted chapter 4 when it wasnt even halfway done yet AND I deleted it without copying it and I SWEAR I FUCKING COPIED THAT SHIT so I ended up crying about it for an hour because that was probably one of my best writings. I swear I was on a goddam roll but now its gone forever and I bring to you all this crap-ass shit so I apologise. I tried my best to remember exactly what I wrote and I'm pretty sure I got most of it down but I'm not so sure.
> 
> So yeah, Im super pissed and upset and I just wanted to rant about it. Im sorry to all my readers who read that spoiler ch4. Anyway, this chapter is really short because I'm super pissed right now and I just can't function normally but I still wanted to give my lovely readers a valentine's day present so... Here it is.

When Levi returned to his chambers after dealing with those light seed brats and sending them to their specific rooms, he was pleased to find the boy in a deep slumber, but not very happy to find that he was sleeping in  _his_ bed in those dirty rags he called clothes. He tossed his military coat onto the back of the nearest armchair and stalked over to the him, being cautious as to not wake him because he would not taken any risks of the beast reemerging and possibly,  _possibly,_ injuring him. That was the most trouble that the renowned warrior prince had in suppressing an animal soul and it was a damn light seed to boot. The sizable bed dipped slightly under his weight as he sat next to Eren's sleeping form to scrutinize him. 

It was beyond rare to find a light seed habouring an ancestral soul and yet this brat had the most perilous and extraordinary of them all—the dragon. Levi had only seen the dragon soul depicted in paintings, hung on the walls of his castle but those mediocre works did the real thing no justice. It wasn't horrendous or disgustingly hideous like the paintings portrayed. Instead, it was awfully mesmerisng and although Levi refused to admit it, it was beautiful; enchanting, even. And Levi would have been captivated by it if it wasn't for the fact that it was trying to tear his face off. The eyes were a luminous gold and no gold bar or coin could ever rival them. The only comparison he could think of that would accurately describe it was the sun. He looked down at Eren, hovering slightly above him and brushed a stray brown lock that fell into his closed eyes with the back of his gloved hand.

He shoved away the inner voice in his mind silently pleading the boy to wake up just because of his desire to look into those multicoloured orbs once more. But Levi was at crossroads because although he wanted to see the eyes that rivaled the sun, it would be a poor deceit to himself to say that he wasn't as equally entranced by his real eyes—those sea-green eyes with specks of the sky in them. It was looking straight into the heart of nature itself and he felt a calm serenity in them in contrast to the indignant, unruly amber ones. And truly, it was just as charming. Eren mumbled incoherent words in his sleep and lightly swung his fist in the air as if attacking someone, startling Levi and putting him on defense as he jumped back. When he ascertained that Eren was, in fact, just being a defiant little shit even in his sleep, he relaxed his fighting stance but decided not to go too close to the boy. Just in case.

Levi opted for the armchair he had thrown his coat onto and with one leg over the other and cheek resting on his knuckles, watched him. It was strange to Levi, how one little brat from a poor, desiccating town had managed to enrapture him with just his eyes and although difficult to acknowledge for the stubborn man, he knew that the first moment he had seen Eren in the middle of the road, he had marked the boy. But not in the way a heavy seed would mark his spouse, no. He had engraved Eren into his head to recognize the boy if he ever saw him again and that was rare for Levi because anyone barely ever managed to catch his attention and if they did, he would remember them until the day of his doom. 

A light knock on the door brought Levi out of his profound thinking. "If it's not important, your head will be ripped off." The person on the other side took that as their signal to come in and Erwin emerged, a somber look in his azure eyes.

"Levi," He addressed informally—something Levi had become accustomed to after knowing the man so long—before closing the door behind him. "That boy.."

"Yes, he's a descendant of the dragon family," Levi answered before the tall, blonde giant even asked the question. "I'm just curious as to  _how_ his scent wasn't detected."

"I had word with a friend of his," Erwin informed which piqued Levi's interest just a bit. "Apparently, his parents never informed him of his origins. He wasn't even aware of the animal kingdom until just recently. His parents had isolated him from the world and kept him in that cabin all his life."

Levi hummed in response to the newly acquired information. "Like a caged bird."

* * *

 

Eren's bare feet hit shallow water as darkness was his only companion. Where was he? Why couldn't he see anything? Eren's legs began to move of their own accord and he was running now, further into the abyss despite his silent cry and unspoken protests. He wanted to scream, cry, anything but his voice was lost and his mouth obstinately remained shut. Why couldn't he speak? His feet dragged Eren's fogged mind witht them. The shallow water splashed under his feet as a soft blue glow began to emerge from his feet. He wanted to scream, but it was forced back and he found himself on a bed of vibrant green grass. He squinted to the new light as the soft blue of the sky met him and the warm rays of the sun heated his skin. He sat up slowly and look at his surroundings. He couldn't recognize the place. It was a lush meadow with white daisies gently swaying with the light zephyr. 

"Eren," a woman's voice echoed throughout the meadow, or maybe it was just in his mind but he knew that the whispering voice was her.

"Ma?" He called out, standing on his feet with wide, almost terrified eyes.

"Eren, come here," she whispered again and on unsteady feet, Eren rotated his body to get a clear look around the place. She was nowhere in sight but he knew she was calling him. "Eren." He spotted a figure by a blossoming tree with pink flowers delicately falling to the ground. 

"M-Ma?" She outstretched a hand to him, beckoning him over and he ignored the tiny, nagging voice in his mind that something wasn't quite right. He found his feet already in a light jog towards her and she smiled at him kindly, disappearing behind the tree. "Ma!" He gleefully exclaimed as he turned around to where his mother would be around the tree but there was no one. He stumbled back a few steps but lost his balance and fell onto his bottom. The tree began to wither and the petals fell in a flurry, whipping around Eren and forcing him to shut his eyes as the wind began to pick up. "Ma!" He cried out but his voice was drowned out by the cries of the wind. He cracked his eye open to see the once beautiful tree twisting and shrinking until it formed the outline of a man. The eyes cracked open and he was met with crude silver eyes and the bark began to turn into flesh and clothes. Eren squeaked out, pushing himself further away as the prince had a heinous grin on his face, as he slowly crept towards him.

"S-S-Stay back!" Eren shouted as he inched closer with the unnerving smile on his face. This wasn't the prince. His irises began to change to a bright yellow and Eren tried to scramble away but a hand latched onto his ankle and pulled him back. Eren screamed a near high-pitch scream when the prince imposter hovered over him and pressed his feet against Eren's neck. "Stop," Eren hissed out as he tried to pull the foot away to no avail.

A curved horn began to rip through the sides of the prince's head and his pupils turned into cat-like slits, a low growl that sounded like a half-roar erupting from the prince's throat. Eren flailed his legs, bringing his arm up to punch his the side of his knees but it had no effect. The foot pressed harder into Eren's neck and he choked out, his oxygen level becoming depleted and his vision going hazy. The foot finally removed itself from his throat and he gasped, bringing his hands around his neck to gently caress it as he struggled to regain his breath. The prince crouched over him and Eren tried to give him a good punch in the face but his fist was easily caught and both his wrists were tightly held in one of prince's. Another hand shot up and pushed Eren's head back so that his neck was exposed and he struggled in the grasp uselessly. A wet, slightly coarse tongue ran along the Eren's neck and he shivered at the repulsive feeling. The prince's mouth reached to Eren's ears and he began to whisper things Eren couldn't comprehend. Eren furrowed his eyebrows as the hot breath ghosted over the shell of his ear and he tried to move his head away but the whisper followed him.

"Eren," it hissed into his ear.

Eren gasped, his eyes snapping open and the first face he was met with was Prince Levi who, with furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips, hovered over him. Eren let out a terrified scream and connected his fist with the side of the prince's jaw.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism and feedback are welcomed. 
> 
> OH. And I'm making an assassin AU so would you guys prefer Assassin!Levi or Assassin!Eren?


	5. When Restraints Are Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeelloooo my bundles of joy~ So, because I want to procrastinate on studying/homework, I decided to bring to you... -drum roll- AN UPDATE! Maybe I'm just in a good mood 'cause I've been listening to 'Iodine' by Icon For Fire on repeat and if any of you know that song, BLESS YOUR SOUL.
> 
> Anyway, this chapter is all in Levi's POV and as -cough- demanded by a lot of my readers, decided to tone down Levi's harshness but he will still be crude, just not y'know... Sadistic as much, at least towards Eren. I make no promises of his attitude towards anyone else. This chapter really was satisfactory to me because it shows a different side to Levi (Hopefully you guys understand the VERY small change in attitude around his friends/acquaintances compared to others). And jussayin' I know you guys hate Levi and all but I love my Levi even like this :'c Maybe not during that Carla/Eren episode but I liked the way I portrayed Levi in this chapter and the previous. HE'S NOT HEARTLESS I SWEAR.

An enraged growl erupted from Levi's throat as the brat stared wide-eyed at him with two terrified green eyes. What the fuck happened to the other one? But he couldn't ponder over the question for a moment longer because his feral instincts screamed at him to discipline the brat slightly quivering under him. His first thought was to wrap his hands around the dirty brat's neck and force him into submission but he fought with his inner beast, willing the clawing animal away as he heavily breathed in and out. No, he couldn't do that. If he harmed Eren now, Levi knew it would be more difficult to tame him, and the obscure dragon, in the future. So, he sunk his head down, pressing his forehead onto Eren's collarbone and Eren hiccuped, his body going rigid as the prince rested himself onto the boy. _Calm yourself,_ he repeated in his mind like a mantra. But fuck, it was difficult because Eren was emitting fear and a sweet, unknown scent which was rapidly beating down on Levi's rationality.

He nudged Eren's jaw with his nose and Eren hiccuped again, whimpering as he arched his neck, a reflex Levi knew that Eren had because even if he never knew what he was, a light seed would still instinctively submit himself in the presence of a heavy seed as imperious as Levi and the man was deliberately letting an oppressive aura stream out of him. His narrowed eyes gazed upon the exposed, sun-kissed skin and he wanted to leave his mark on the pure skin; but he couldn't, not until Eren gave consent. He pulled away reluctantly and sat at the edge of the bed, resting his forehead in his hands as he inhaled and exhaled heavily, trying to control himself because he was near his breaking point. He wished Eren knew how to control his scent because it was driving Levi insane and making it a lot more difficult to will the animal away.

"L-Levi?" Eren stammered and Levi snapped his head towards the boy who was quivering slightly. When Levi's own eyes met with those emerald eyes—those damn eyes that seemed to contain the secrets of the world—he felt his restraints snap loose and he lunged himself at Eren, who hiccuped and tried to dodge but he ended up being slammed into the wall behind him. Eren cried out in pain as Levi gripped his shoulders in a bruising death grip. He swung Eren and the two rolled across the bed, landing in a position where Levi was on top and pinning Eren's wrists down, digging his nails into the soft flesh. Eren cried out in pain, hiccuping for the ntnh time and as scared as he was, he refused to break eye contact with Levi.

It was quite intriguing to Levi how despite Eren literally smelling of fear, his eyes remained with a hint of turbulence. He was ready to discipline the indignant brat but the door to his chambers slammed open and the person he wished to see least almost literally bounced into the room. "Levi!" The freak exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with buoyancy. Her nose scrunched in disgust and she took one step out and slammed it shut before reopening it a few moments later, much to Levi's annoyance. "Why does it smell like you just released your anger into a pile of feces?"

Levi huffed in irritation, slapping a hand to his face and dragging it down roughly before removing himself from Eren and slipping off the bed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to play, of course! But.." Her voice drifted as her eyes found themselves on Eren's trembling figure, beginning to scoot away from the squabbling pair and backing himself into the wall. "You seem to have a guest. And WOW! Who could have landed such a sucker on your face?" A wide, deranged smile took over her facial features and she reached to probe the bruise adorning his once flawless face. He slapped the hand away, his eyes flickering to the brat who had his defenses up before sending a murderous glare towards the tall woman. "Ooohh," she mused, the smile never leaving her face. So that little ball of cuteness did that? Wow. Unexpected, but I like him already." She pulled the goggles down off her face so that they rested around her neck instead.

"What the fuck do you want, you goggles freak?" Levi retorted, becoming disgruntled beyond belief.

"I said it already you silly, short ball of fury! I came to visit my best friend!" Before Levi could react, she wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him close enough to make him suffocate with her putrid odor of never-ceasing elation. She literally never oozed any other smell other than that and it irked Levi to no end whenever she came around to his castle. He wouldn't have minded it if she had released another scent at least every once in awhile but she never did and that bothered him. He shrugged her off and settled to glare at the woman.

"Sorry Levi, she got past my defenses," Erwin apologised as he stepped into the room, covered in a sticky clear substance that Levi discerned he could live without ever knowing. Hange and her aberration of experiments was something Levi deduced he needn't try to comprehend. "Levi, what happened to your face?" The short man grunted, miffed by the fact that everyone kept mentioning the obvious, slightly throbbing bruise on his face.

"Nothing, and Erwin, get out of my bedroom before I throw Hange at you for tracking that shit she concocted into my sleeping quarters," he hissed, earning an indifferent frown from the tall man as he took a step back out of the room. Hange slipped past Levi and stormed towards Eren who hiccuped once before scrambling away from the aberrant woman.

"Oh, no you don't!" She piped as she cinched her hands around Eren's ankle and dragged him back. "Now, who is this _delicious_ ," she took a satisfactory long whiff of Eren's lower back before continuing, "smelling boy? I could just eat him right up! Well, in the figurative meaning, if you know what I mean."

"Hange, keep your filthy paws off of him," Levi growled, flicking her hands off of Eren's ankle and putting himself between the two. The brunette arched an eyebrow, a suggestive grin on her face.

"Hm? Is this your little new toy?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him and he scoffed.

"That is none of your concern. Anyway, I'm positive you soiled my castle so go clean up whatever you shit up." Levi shoved her shoulder lightly but she continued to give him that knowing stare which brought his irritation level higher.

"Get out!"

"Not without knowing his name!" She pressed further, looking past the short, fuming man to give a half-normal smile to Eren. "Hm?"

Eren opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, furrowing his eyebrows in contemplation. Levi sighed, not wanting to look at Eren struggle to respond a moment longer. "His name is Eren."

"Oooh!" She cried excitedly, pushing Levi aside and putting each of her hands on the sides of Eren. "Your name fits you perfectly! It's such a beautiful name for a beautiful boy!" Eren's face noticeably turned pink and he looked away.

"Th-Thank you."

Hange squealed, squishing his cheeks. "Levi! Can I have him? I've been looking for a new experi- I mean husband to play around with."

Levi scoffed. "No, now get out." 

"But Levi, why not? I mean, it's not like you're going to keep him, right? Unless..." She whirled around to stare at him with a perceptive smile. "You're thinking of taking him as-"

"Get the fuck out!" Levi barked, his tone venomous as he gave Hange his most intimidating, lethal glare which normally would have terrified the shit out of anyone except those who were already accustomed to it and unfortunately for Levi, Hange was one of those few people.

"Okay, okay. Gosh, I have no idea how such a man of short stature could have so much animosity all in one tiny little-"

Levi kicked the middle of her back, causing her to stumble out of the room and slam into the goo-covered Erwin before shutting the door vehemently. He exhaled, resting his forehead against the extravagant wood to regain his composure before turning to scowl at Eren who flinched at the threatening stare which was a satisfactory reaction for the ruthless man. Although Levi would never tell Hange this, he was glad she had come intruding in on them because if she hadn't broken the strained, quickly escalating situation before, Eren could have been injured or possibly raped, depending on how much of Levi's restraint had snapped. But thanks to her vexatious presence, he had a restored iron hold on the reins.

He strode over to Eren who once again, backed himself against the wall and hiccuped, holding one of the satin pillows against his chest as if that would help in any way. But it wasn't like Levi was going to do anything, not after all that effort to restrain himself from doing something to the boy. Levi knew that one couldn't bear a child without consent of both parties and he knew that the other nobles or royalty tortured or forced their partners into consent if they didn't give it but that's not what Levi wanted. As crude as he may be, he believed child bearing to be one of the most difficult tasks, after seeing his own mother give birth to his sister and seeing how much she struggled during her pregnancy, Levi would never force anyone into it; ever, and that was it.

"Eren," he called, making the boy wince which brought a frown to Levi's lips. Well, getting consent wouldn't be easy and he was fully aware of that by the brat's reactions to something as simple as him calling his name. He didn't know why he had called for the boy, but now that he had, he had no idea what to say so he said the first thing on his mind which had, for awhile, been bothering him. "Go take a bath."

Eren narrowed his viridian eyes at the man, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to ascertain what the man could possibly be up to. And no, there was no ruse because honestly, the brat's dirty scent was beginning to mix in with the once previous pleasant smell.

Eren shook his head, refusing his order. "It wasn't an offer, you stinky brat," the prince hissed, coming closer to Eren who hiccuped and pressed his back against the wall more. Levi sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You smell like utter shit and I can't stand it so you will take a bath or I will force you in there and scrub you down myself."

Eren shook his head again and Levi was on boiling point so he reached his hand out to grab Eren's wrist but he blocked it with the pillow. _Hm, well I guess that was useful for something._ Levi easily ripped the pillow away and Eren hastily grabbed another one, putting it between them again.

"Why do I have to shower?" Eren finally spoke after having not spoken basically the entire time he'd been in the bedroom.

"I said it already you shitty brat, you smell like crap I can't stand it."

"Why am I in here? Where are Armin and the others?" Eren pressed, noticeably gaining more confidence as the prince was replying to him and without threatening or handling him harshly. This shitty brat, getting more bold. Levi decided to let his overbearing scent roll off of him in large surges and Eren visibly shrunk into himself a bit, gripping the sides of the pillow tighter. A smug smirk played on Levi's lips because the brat was reminded of who he was and who Levi was.

"Come on, I'll prepare the bath," Levi said as he watched Eren scrutinize him warily. He rebuffed his offer again and Levi growled lowly, earning a hiccup. Levi blinked repeatedly, realising an obvious fact. Eren hiccuped whenever he was scared. The habit was strange but Levi found himself thinking that it was just a bit adorable. He shook his head slightly as if to irrupt away sinful thoughts. Maybe they were sinful, because honestly, he hadn't thought anyone or anything was adorable since Petra. He huffed, banishing the thoughts of the woman also, earning a perplexed stare from the boy as he tilted his head slightly.

"Eren, if you don't come with me now, I swear I _will_ drag you there if I have to." Eren remained rooted to his spot and Levi's patience had already fled him. He tore the pillow away from Eren and the brat let out a small squeak and hiccup, scrambling away from Levi who managed to grab his grimy feet in time and Levi shuddered, glad he was still wearing his gloves. He noted to burn them later. He pulled Eren back as the brat kicked at him but Levi caught both his flailing ankles and flipped the boy upside down onto the bed before grabbing his waist and carrying him, so that Eren's head was behind him and his bottom in front.

"Dirty brat is more trouble than he's worth," Levi irritably muttered as he carried the struggling boy into his own private bathroom. There was no way in hell Levi would take any chances letting anyone else wash him or even having a separate bathroom. No way in hell. The bath was already filled with the cooled water from before from when one of the maids had heated his bath with the firewood for when he returned. He literally tossed Eren in and the boy yelped as he landed in the lukewarm water bottom-first with his clothes still on.

"Have you even ever taken a bath before, or do I have to instruct you?"

Eren glared at the man who returned the glare even more fiercely. "Yes, I have. Now get out."

Levi scoffed, but decided to not rebuke the scornful order. He didn't really want to see a naked rat anyway. "Make it quick but if I see you're still not clean, I will make you retake it." Levi left the bathroom to let Eren to his own devices, shutting the door behind him and sighing.

This brat wouldn't be easy to tame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback and constructive criticism are welcomed <3
> 
> Also, I want to thank those who comment on my work/I keep seeing comment on my work because dear god, I would hug you to death. I really love seeing comments on my stories and I swear I literally check the page every half an hour or even sooner (Even at school) Because y'know... It makes me happy and I like to reply and I like to interact a lot with my readers (I'm sorry if I don't reply to some of you) :3 So, I just wanted to express my gratitude to those who comment and/or leave kudos <3
> 
> ALSO, I re-uploaded my FIRST fanfic on this site called "Letter to You" and I also edited it to make it better so I hope you guys check it out~ Oh and ONE LAST THING!
> 
> Do you guys prefer a Assassin!Levi or Assassin!Eren or both as assassins? Thanks guys <3 Your opinion is always important to me so I apologise if I always make my notes too long and annoy you.


	6. Royally Pissed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my adorable button babies~
> 
> Right off the bat, I would like to thank everyone who gave me their opinion on who to make the assassin for my assassin story (Almost everyone said both!) So if you want, go check it out! It's called "Unveiling Shadows".
> 
> Also, I have a quick question I hope you will answer for me: Is the story progressing too slow? I will be honest, I'm beginning to become a bit skeptical about this story because I feel it's progressing too slow.. Idk.. Any opinions? :c I mean, I know when to start the time skips but it's only been about a day or two in their world and it's like chapter 6 already ._. -facepalm- And the time skips are not until awhile later and I feel like my readers will start to get bored and UGH. (inner pessimistic side is surfacing I'm sorry) -cry- I blame the sad music I've been listening to.

* * *

 

Eren sat in tepid water still fully clothed, a bit confounded as to what just happened. He watched the once clear water turn into a murky brown as the dirt and grime began to slowly strip off his tanned skin. He stood up, searching around for any escape route but to his dismay, the only entrance and exit was the one where Levi had just left through and he was sure that the royal bastard was just tapping his foot right outside the door. Eren sighed, slumping back into the cooling, cloudy water. He reassessed what had happened out there and why the strength left his body whenever Levi was around. It was strange to Eren why his mind and body seemed to react differently; his mind screamed at Levi, cursed him and his existence and belittled him yet his body seemed to belong to someone else—it was submissive and weak.

He subconsciously began to draw circles in the water, the rings expanding further into the tub before they completely faded. Why did he feel like he was two different people sharing a vessel? He sighed, running the water up his arms and rubbing them roughly, getting most of the grime out. He stripped off his dirty clothes, reluctantly deciding to clean himself because he honestly couldn't remember the last time he had taken a bath in clean water, so why not indulge himself this once? After harshly rubbing off all the muck from his body, he found a piece of glass his mother had called a mirror hanging on the wall.

He gasped, touching the cool metal and flinching a bit at the cold touch. He saw his reflection staring back at him and it amazed Eren's uneducated mind. He could see clearly now that he had no remnants of filth and his body thanked him for finally being clean. He ran a finger along the glass, a ghost of a smile on his lips. His mother owned a very small piece of this glass but Eren had never seen one so grand and it startled Eren to find himself trapped inside it. He knocked on it softly, his heart thudding rapidly. His mother had told him tales of this piece of glass; that it was his other self living in another world and that this cool piece of glass connected the current him to the alternate him. "H-Hello," Eren whispered, leaning against it and waiting for a reply. When no response came after a long while, he pouted, stepping away from it and looking around the bathroom.

What was he to do now?

He stood in front of the tall wooden door, hands uncontrollably shaking. He scowled, willing his hand to stop its quavering but it paid him no mind and continued to vibrate in place. After an elongated inner battle with himself, he finally grabbed hold of the golden doorknob and opened it slowly, hiding himself behind the door as the opulent room coming into full view piece by piece. He braced himself to be yelled at by the prince for coming out wet and naked but Eren didn't fancy wearing those soaked, dirty garments again. At least, not with the prince's warning of having to bathe again if he was still dirty.

"Levi?" He called out but the overbearing scent of the heavy seed was faint in the room now and Eren opened the door fully, eyebrows etched together. He looked around the room almost frantically and a wide grin broke out onto his face. He's not here! Eren bolted for the door, his breathing becoming heavy and his mind a mess, nothing else on it except the desire for freedom. The door reopened just as he reached for the knob and rammed into Eren's face. He cried out in pain, falling onto his wet bottom and pressing the aching part of his forehead.

A sweet scent drifted into the room and Eren's eyes widened when a girl with short rose hair in two short pigtails and startled forest green eyes stared back at him, her mouth forming an 'o' shape. "Uhm..?" Eren began but was interrupted by an ear-splitting shriek from the girl's mouth. He covered his ears, squeezing his eyes shut until the scream died out.

"Wh-Who the heck are you?!" She hissed, glancing around the hall before stepping into the room and gently closing the door shut behind her.

"Uh- I'm-"

"No," she interjected, putting out a hand to him to cease his talking and averting her eyes. Ah, even her ears are red. A small smile formed on Eren's lips because of the girl's cuteness. "Let's get some clothes for you first." She strode past Eren and began to rummage in through drawer, pulling out garment after garment. She returned, shielding her eyes and taking cautious steps toward Eren. Eren arched an eyebrow, his forehead still throbbing but he couldn't care less about that now. The girl tossed the clothes to Eren and he accepted them gratefully but his nose scrunched in disgust when the prince's scent was on them.

"Aren't these Levi's?"

"Who cares? Just put it on," she muttered, her face still a tomato-dark red. "Or do you plan to chat with me while you're naked?"

Eren gasped, looking down at his exposed self and suddenly feeling self-conscious. He quickly slipped on the clothes which were fairly short on him but still fit snugly and he felt his body become wrapped in Levi's alluring scent which he would never admit because he had a deep hatred for the royal bastard.

"Are you finished?" The girl murmured, her back to him as she tapped her armoured foot on the ground.

"Yeah."

She twirled around, a small sigh of relief escaping her lips when she found Eren fully clothed, yet the blush never left her face. "Anyway, who are you?" She inquired, narrowing her green eyes at him.

"Eren. Who are you?"

She paused for a moment, lips in a tight line as she scrutinized Eren and he didn't see it, but distinctly heard her take a discreet whiff of the air before responding. "Isabel. And what are you doing in the prince's room?"

"I-" he hesitated, pondering. Should he tell her the truth? Formulate an excuse? What could he do? "Uhm, I was brought here.." He vaguely explained, all his guards up with the obviously apprehensive girl. She was pretty and looked to be much younger than Eren but with the way she was dressed in the steel armour, he could tell that she was trained to kill and would not hesitate in tearing Eren's throat with the sheathed sword she had by her hip if he made the wrong move. Her intrepid forest-green orbs only proved his point. The air around them felt strained and seemed to strangle Eren.

She didn't seem satisfied with the ambiguous answer but accepted it anyway. "Why were you uhm... you know.. naked?" The blush deepened as she turned her head away, a small pout on her rosy lips.

"I was told to bathe by the prince."

"Oh... I see. Where did he go?"

"I don't know. He was gone by the time I finished." He was becoming a bit distressed with her barrage of questions and his mind kept drifting towards the door just right in front of him. He could try to escape, but it wouldn't end well for him if he was caught and he had no idea of the girl's capabilities in slashing down her enemies.

"Are you a light seed?" She asked, taking an almost inconspicuous step towards Eren and this time, visibly sniffing the air. "You smell like one."

Eren nodded. There was no point in lying now about his identity if she could already tell by the scent drifting in the air. She blinked repeatedly a cheeky grin making its way to her face as she advanced towards Eren who reflexively took a step back.

"Are you really?" She breathed, her green eyes widening in amazement. The tense aura around them lessened as she began to speak again, "I have never met a light-seed up close.. It's a first for me." She backed Eren up against the door and placed both her hands on either side of his face, gently caressing his cheeks, the pretty grin grower wider.

"Wow, are all light-seeds this pretty?" She began to rub her palms against Eren's cheeks and he furrowed his eyebrows in discomfort. "Your cheeks are so soft! Hey, what animal are you? I'm a fox!"

Eren was beginning to wonder where that skeptical, female warrior went and if this jubilant girl really was the same one literally ready to murder him at any second just a few moments ago. "Thanks and I'm not sure what I am.." Eren murmured, resigning to the girl's curiosity.

She smiled up warmly at him and he felt his slightly tense shoulders relax. She leaned up, sniffing his neck and making him shiver. It was a completely different feeling from when Levi did it. This was gentle and had no threat to it; it made him feel safe and he was completely serene with the girl. "I'm sure I can trust you," she surmised as she pulled back.

"Uhm, that's good to know, I guess." Eren pressed his fingers against the door, his hands itching to escape yet he didn't want to abandon the girl who he had already deduced that he would be fond of. She was sweet and innocent, yet she could be a valiant soldier at the same time. The door opened once more and smacked the back of Eren's head, forcing him to yelp in surprise and fall to the ground arms-first. Fortunately, the girl had side-stepped in time before Eren could topple on top of her. The brunet cursed his misfortune for he kept getting hit by the door.

"Isabel, is Levi-" The new voice stopped midway and Eren stood up, brushing himself off before turning around and coming face-to-face with a handsome young man who was emitting a smell more enticing than anyone's he had ever smelt before; it was warm and gentle, the complete opposite of Levi's menacing and oppressing aura. A smell sweeter than honey drifted from the young man clad in dark grey armour, a confused look on his handsome features as he perused Eren with faded blue eyes so pale that they bordered on being translucent. The man scrutinized Eren, making him shift uncomfortably in his spot.

"Isabel, who is this?"

Isabel stared at Farlan, switching her gaze between him and Eren and the green-eyed boy was beginning to become confused as to why the girl was switching between the two. "He's Eren," she finally replied, "He's a light seed."

"Why is a light seed in Levi's room?"

"He said he was brought here."

The sweet scent seemed to dull a bit and Eren glanced up at the male with light sandy-brown hair, a bit disappointed by the disappearing smell. "I see.. Well, I'm Farlan." Eren placed his hand in Farlan's and he noticeably saw the man tense yet a gentle smile remained on his pink lips. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Eren nodded, unsure of how to respond to him. Their hands remained connected a long while and Eren could sense the reluctance the man felt when removing his hand from Eren's, making the brunet blink up at him, perplexed. What was that about?

"Eren, Eren! Can you guess what animal Farlan is?"

Eren shook his head and she beamed up at him. "He's a lion! Cool, right?!" Farlan sighed loudly, folding his arms across his plated chest.

"We should return to training, Isabel. Come."

"Wait!" She exclaimed, gripping Eren's upper arm. "Let's take him!"

"What? No."

The girl pouted childishly. "Come on Farlan! He's probably going to be bored, so why not?"

"Because he's Levi's-!" Farlan stopped midway and Eren narrowed his eyes at him. Eren knew Farlan was going to mention Levi but he couldn't tell why Levi would be brought up in this conversation. "Anyway, a no is a no."

"Then I'm not going," she pouted, gripping Eren's upper arm tighter because wow- She had a strong grip for a small girl.

"Isabel, we are going, _now_."

"Not without Eren!"

Farlan exhaled a long, chafed breath, leaning against the door frame and frowning at the younger girl. "Look, Isabel. If Levi finds out we-"

"Levi-bro won't mind! I'll just say I brought him along with me." She looked up at Eren with wide, excited eyes. "So, Eren? Want to come watch us train?" Her eyes practically begged him to agree and he reluctantly did so.

"Uhm, sure..?"

"Isabel!" The fair-skinned man hissed, his lips in a tight line. "Levi will not be pleased-"

"It'll be alright," she reassured him, as she pushed him and Eren out the room and slammed the door shut. "He'll be completely fine with it!"

Eren watched with entranced eyes as the two soldiers' swords clashed, their movements swift and powerful but there were clear differences in their fighting techniques. The girl was more agile but simultaneously more impulsive so she wasn't able to use her agility to the fullest and often found herself being pushed back by the man who was a little slower than her—although still swift—but he was more precise in his swings and seemed to be calculating every future step in his mind, easily dodging her advances. For some odd reason, Eren couldn't sense anything from the two as they clashed, and it took him awhile to realise that they were masking their scent. But, he could visibly see the vigor in their eyes as adrenaline pumped through their veins and fueled the battle into an assault of steel swords crashing onto each other, each blow could easily kill a man twice their size yet neither of them caved. Their combat left Eren slightly breathless and entranced as he watched the two in a beautiful dance of glimmering swords and lithe movements.

Isabel let out a rippling battle cry as she charged at Farlan, her feet moving deadly fast but Farlan slammed his foot into the side of her ankle, catching her off guard when she was in swinging position. The red-head fell to her knees, hissing in pain as the tip of the man's sharp sword pointed at her neck and she glared up at her sparring partner with indignant eyes.

"And you are dead," Farlan smiled, lowering his sword and offering an assisting hand to his female comrade as beads of sweat dripped down the side of his temples. She gratefully took it, letting him haul her up onto her feet. She brushed the dirt off of herself as she sheathed the sword and wiped away the sweat with the back of her hand as the pair approached Eren who was situated a bit further from them, close to the fence encompassing the sparring grounds.

"So, Eren? What did you think?" Isabel inquired as she plopped herself down beside Eren, gazing at him with expectant eyes.

Eren flashed a small smile at her, truly impressed. "That was amazing," he breathed, his jade eyes glowing. Even though he had only been spectating, he could feel his hands tingling and the blood in his veins pulsing. "Do you think I could learn that?"

Isabel glanced up at Farlan with uncertainty. "That wouldn't be such a good idea," she stated as Farlan frowned down at Eren.

The brunet furrowed his eyebrows. "Why not?"

"Well.. I've never seen a light seed in battle.. And I doubt one could survive in actual combat for long."

A deep scowl took over Eren's face and he glared at Isabel who offered him a sympathetic look. "If you've never seen one then how would you know? There could be light seeds fighting in other kingdoms!"

Isabel stared at him, a bit taken aback by his sudden declaration."Well.. Because they're submissive by nature so it's not very surprising that none have ever entered combat."

Eren sighed, standing up and brushing himself off. "That's a heavy insult to me and every one else.." He drifted off, and a switch seemed to be turned on in his head. Shit! The others! He began to back away slowly from Farlan and Isabel, his defenses back up and he was teetering onto the edge of dismay. What was he just doing? While everyone else was probably suffering in a dungeon, here he was, playing friends with the king's men. Shame clawed at Eren's mind as he realised he had just made a major mistake. He could have saved the others, saved Armin and escaped this place all while Levi had been absent the entire time but no, he didn't do that because of his foolish curiosity. He had deceived himself into thinking that these people were nice. Maybe they were now, but he had disregarded the fact that they were trained murderers, tearing families apart and he doubted they would hesitate in the least when encountering their prey.

Eren gulped as he took a step back and Farlan advanced, just as Eren was ready to turn and bolt. Farlan gripped his wrist in a tight grasp, narrowing his eyes at Eren. "You surely aren't trying to escape, are you?"

The young man's eyes gleamed with suspicion and Eren knew he had made the wrong choice when accepting the offer to watch them spar. Farlan knew what he was about to do, Eren could tell by the way his grip tightened around his wrist and he hiccuped, biting his lower lip. How is he supposed to escape now?!

"Of course not," Eren brazenly lied, gently prying the hand off his wrist, although it hesitantly released the hold on him. "I think I should return to the room now. Levi may be looking for me."

Farlan arched an eyebrow, unconvinced with his fairly obvious lie. "Okay, I will accompany you."

Eren shook his head frantically. "I can get there by myself." If Farlan brought him back there and Levi truly was in his quarters, Eren knew he had zero chances of escaping.

The young soldier chuckled lowly, his features softening but his eyes remained on high alert. "The castle is very grand, Eren. Isabel, go join the others in the mess hall, alright? I'll join you once I return Eren to Levi's." Isabel nodded, reluctantly leaving the two and Farlan guided Eren back towards the opposite side where the castle was situated.

Eren's mind whirred with ways to escape this situation. How could he get away without tipping off the obviously wary soldier? The duo began to approach the castle and Eren felt like he was a convict being sentenced to his imminent doom as Farlan deliberately walked a little slower than him just in case Eren tried to make a break for it. He had to give Farlan credit for being a killer with brains because Eren was hoping to run for it as soon as his back was turned to him. They reentered the imposing palace and the young light seed knew he had no more chances at escaping.

"You know," Farlan began as he followed Eren uncomfortably close, "I can essentially _smell_ whatever you are feeling so there is no benefit in lying to me."

Eren turned his head and his breath caught in his throat when Farlan's face was just inches from his, his warm breath caressing his cheek lightly. And that smell; god, that sickly sweet scent was just heavenly and it jumbled up Eren's brain effectively. "I- I wasn't planning on anything."

He let out a breathy laugh, amusement mixed with disbelief in just that one puff of breath. "Eren, I am not a fool." Eren was unable to find the correct words to bite back at him with so he remained silent as they began to climb up velvet carpeted staircases that was beginning to look awfully familiar. They were nearing. Eren glanced around at his surroundings and nothing in sight could possibly aid him in escaping. Well, not unless he could lift a giant fifteen foot painting of grazing horses then no, he was cornered. The jewel-eyed boy noticed they were coming close to a door that was slightly ajar and a plan began to formulate in his head quickly.

He exhaled a trembling breath, glancing at Farlan's figure from the corner of his eye as they approached the slightly ajar door. When Eren took one step ahead of the door, Farlan was still in front of the intricately carved door so he quickly turned around and pushed the young man through, hoping to lock him in there and flee to find his blonde companion but Farlan's reflexes were quick and he grabbed the front of Eren's shirt swiftly, turning them mid-fall so that Eren was the one who fell onto the ground. Eren expected pain to shoot through his head again but a gentle hand cushioned the impact and when he opened his eyes that he had instinctively closed, he was graced with a complacent grin from the fair-skinned young man and Eren's face heated up instantly.

They were so close, with Farlan right on top of him and their bodies were nearly mashed together if it weren't for the one knee Farlan had propped up and the elbow beside Eren's head holding the pale-eyed man's upper body up. Eren was about to utter an excuse as to why he had pushed him in when a strict, sharp tone cut through the air like a knife whizzing straight at a red target.

"What the fuck are you two doing?"

Farlan and and Eren's head turned towards an enraged short prince who was emitting an aura of sheer outrage so thick that it froze Eren on the spot.

Prince Levi was royally pissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jkay, just the end of this chapter :D Anyway, I'm thinking about either discontinuing "The Student Councils Eren-d Boy" or just putting it on hold because I haven't been able to get a burst of inspiration on how to continue it. I mean, I wrote ch.2 already but it just doesn't sit well with me and I don't have the heart to publish something so poorly written for my lovely readers. What do you all think I should do? And if anyone has any ideas to pitch it, I'm all ears ^o^
> 
> -COUGH COUGH- #FarlanWantsThatJaegerBooty
> 
> Feedback and constructive criticism are welcomed <3


	7. I promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh it took FOREVER to climb over the fifty meter wall that is called WRITER'S BLOCK. My recent comeback into gaming may have contributed to the delay.. Plus I'm stressed from school q.q ANYONE PLAY BLADE AND SOUL? It's amazing.
> 
>  
> 
> <http://levi-wants-jaeger-booty.tumblr.com/>

The sound of a baby's wailing mixed with eager, hushed murmurs echoed throughout the empty space. Eren was shrouded in darkness, his sight blinded by the abyss ahead of him yet he urged his feet forward toward the sounds. His footsteps were silent as he approached a faint, beckoning orange light that had begun to grow and controlled the darkness the more he walked; and he found himself in an unfamiliar place as he stepped into the ineluctable glow.

Eren's eyebrows etched together as a torch hung on the wall, the brilliant orange-red embers flickering and casting distorted, eerie shadows along the uneven stone walls of wherever he was. Rushed footsteps approached him and he glued his back to the wall, watching as a maid approached him. She clutched a bundle of towels close to her chest and she seemed suspicious enough that anyone with any hint of curiosity would have followed her, but that wasn't what had Eren silently pursuing her from a distance. It was her eyes. Although he only saw a tiny glimpse, he could tell they were a surreal colour similar to the ball of gold in the sky that burned brightest during the summer days. The boy tried his best to keep the maid from becoming suspicious of him, hoping she wouldn't begin screaming bloody murder and have people on him like wolves to fresh meat.

She sharply turned the corner and Eren hastily went after her, watching as her form disappeared into a room. He entered the room after her, the door shutting close and the voices he had been hearing earlier were now distinguishable. "What are you doing here?" A baritone, acrid voice sliced through the air, automatically making Eren stand up straight and tall, hands rigid by his sides in a show of unprecedented respect. 

Eren was on edge now as eyes turned to him, and there were three people in the room. A woman, who was laying on an elevated clothed table with a pillow comfortably settled under her, although she didn't seem complacent in the least; her face weary yet contented and beads of noticeable sweat trickling down her face, her dark brown hair was matted and she seemed purely exhausted as she cooed at the bundle in her arms; crimson specks stained the table. Another man, with medium-length hair and in a white, vermillion-stained lab coat had his back turned to Eren; it was a back that seemed familiar to him, yet he couldn't figure who it was. The last person was the most remarkable and although Eren had never seen this man in his entire life, he seemed familiar. His skin was porcelain, ebony hair combed back in a neat fashion and piercing near-translucent blue eyes inquiring Eren.The man portrayed no signs of pure malice in his voice, which contradicted his astringent eyes; he seemed on verge only because he wanted to protect something dear to him, willing to go great lengths to do so.

"I-" Eren began, his mind fumbling with hundreds of excuses, but he was interrupted just as he spoke up.

"I was asked to bring cold towels, Your Highness," a soft woman's voice replied, stepping forward and in front of Eren. He hadn't even noticed that the maid was there! But Eren was confounded—could they not see him standing right there? Why was he not being questioned?

"I did not-"

"Your Majesty, I requested it. She was the only servant at hand," the person in the lab coat interrupted brazenly.

The dark-haired man shot a bitter look towards the other, holding his gaze for a moment before pursing his lips into a tight line. "Bring it here," 'His Highness' ordered, arms folded across his chest and shooting an intimidating glare at the maid who, with her head slightly bowed, scurried over to him and handed him the towels. "Dismissed."

She scuttled back, undeniably making eye contact with Eren and a perceptive, small smile graced her lips as her auric eyes gleamed with conspicuous delight. She opened the door and just as she was about to leave, Eren heard the words undeniably directed at him.

"Are you awake,  _Eren?_ "

* * *

 

Eren woke with a start, familiar vibrant green eyes coming into view as his hand shot out to grip the small wrist tightly, bolting upright in the bed as the red-haired girl gasped in surprise, using her uncaught hand to grasp the hand holding hers. "What are you doing?" Eren inquired, narrowing his eyes at the girl. His head felt light and he was panting heavily, beads of sweat running down the sides of his head. He felt he had dreamt something significant, but he couldn't remember what it was. It seemed so close, yet out of his reach; like water slipping through the cracks of his fingers. It was definitely something he hoped to recall soon, because he felt a terrible premonition.

"Replacing the cloth," she responded, her stern gaze not leaving the teen as he reached up with his free hand to feel his forehead. Indeed, there was a warm towelette placed there. He didn't respond as he freed her, removing the small cloth from his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" Isabel sat back but didn't remove herself from the edge of Eren's bed.

"Where am I?"

"The East tower; Levi-bro said to keep watch of you here."

Eren's jaw set at the mention of Levi and he fisted the cotton sheets. "Oh? And where is the royal bastard?"

"Don't call him that!" Isabel hissed, abruptly standing up and frowning down at him.

"It's difficult to not address someone by what they are."

She seemed ready to argue, opening and closing her mouth twice before sighing. "Are you hungry?" Her eyes flicked to the tray of food sitting on the nightstand next to the bed.

"No. How long have I been out?"

"A couple of days." 

"Days?!" He was ready to get out of the bed but Isabel pushed his chest, forcing him back down.

"Don't move so suddenly. You haven't eaten anything yet and you'll feel faint. Eat first."

He slapped her hand away, glaring up at her. "I don't need to eat. I  _need_ to get out of here."

"I can't let you leave this room." She picked up the tray and moved an old wooden chair next to the bed, hooking her ankle around a leg of the chair and dragging it over. "Eat."

"No."

"The food will spoil, and the kitchen prepared it specially for you," Isabel urged, taking a spoonful of the bean soup and holding it near Eren's mouth. He shook his head, not wanting to give her the advantage of possibly shoving the spoon into his mouth if he opened his mouth to reject.

Isabel pursed her lips, pouting. No, this wouldn't work on Eren now. "Okay, let's have a compromise then," she began, dropping the spoon back into the bowl. "If you eat, I'll take you to the garden for an hour. Deal?"

Eren picked up the tray shoving a spoonful of the (delicious) thick soup into his mouth and his stomach was grateful to Isabel. A wide, cheeky grin took over her previous determined expression. "I knew you were hungry!"

He didn't respond as he continued to wolf down the food, concocting a plan to slip out of Isabel's guard when outside. He definitely wouldn't let her lock him in this room for another second. Why was she keeping him from leaving, anyway? He scowled, because only one person came to mind who would want him caged like a bird. Levi. He reached up towards the bite he had left on his neck during their previous strife; it wasn't hurting anymore, at the very least. But, he felt a tiny sense of defeat at the fact that he had absolutely no way to win against the prince in terms of physical strength—that much he could ascertain. He would have to use his wits to escape from this massive prison—Whatever it takes.

* * *

 

"What the fuck are you two doing?" Prince Levi growled low as the two boys' heads turned to look at the bristling short royal bastard. Farlan sighed, pushing himself off the ground and brushing himself off. Eren followed suit, standing next to him and averting his eyes from Levi. The atmosphere of the room was covered in a thick with tension and unreasonable conniption. 

"Levi-"

"Farlan, if there is not a reasonable explanation for this, I will not be merciless," Levi warned in advance, his grey eyes turning as dark as the skies on a winter solstice.

"I was returning Eren to your chambers."

The prince arched a thin, dark eyebrow. "Why was he not there in the first place?"

"Isabel thought it a wondrous idea to have him observe us spar; She said it would be...  _fun."_

Levi dragged a hand down his face, as if that motion would help rid the indescribable mixture of irritation, bitterness and slight relief-? From his face. "I should have foresaw this," he muttered, folding his arms across his chest, the corners of his lips curved downwards as he studied their faces a bit longer. "You are dismissed, Farlan. And inform Isabel that I will be having a chat with her soon."

The light-haired soldier saluted the prince—right fist over his heart while the left fist was placed behind his poised back. He cast one sideways glance at the brunet before giving a soft, reassuring smile and departing, gently clicking the door shut as he left Eren alone with two men who could easily snap his neck (but not without him putting up a fairly darned-good fight). Eren opted to lock his gaze onto his feet, the slight quivering in his legs hopefully not noticeable by the other two. 

"Erwin, when did you say the last guest will be arriving?" He heard Levi ask of Erwin. Eren shifted his feet ever so slightly backward.

"The last guest should be arriving in three day's time."

"And when will  _she_ arrive?"

"A messenger brought word that she will alight soon; earliest is tomorrow, before nightfall. What do you suggest we do about the boy?"

"I thought to hide him in my room, but if she's returning then she will surely be bringing  _her_ and I want to keep them from contacting for as long as possible."

 _Her? Who's her?_ Eren was tempted to look up but he didn't want them to pay any unnecessary attention to him as he took another unobtrusive step back. 

"Then we are holding him in the servants' quarters?"

"No, she makes rounds every so often to ensure their health is well. The only place I can think of to keep him in is.."

Eren's head sanpped up at the mention of the two talking about him, no doubt, and he watched Levi and Erwin whisper to each other like the gossiping elderly women he had seen in town not long ago, their heads close together as they exchanged words. Levi's eyes flicked to Eren and they made eye-contact. They were deciding Eren's fate right in front of him and he couldn't do anything about it—unless he chose to. He took a step back, and Levi narrowed his eyes at him as an apprisal.

"Eren, don't you dare even-"

The boy didn't bother listening to the rest of what Levi was about to say before he turned on his heel and bolted for the door, denying all his instincts that told him to capitulate to the authority of the short bastard. He refused to surrender without putting up a fight—He had to see his mother and father again, had to tell them he was alright, and not to cry. This fueled his defiance and his indignation towards the prince and everyone that let him be the bastard he was. He was out and sprinting down the hall as the prince hollered after him and threw a few curses, but he continued to run, his feet feeling lethargic as he zipped past intricate wooden doors and past the high, magnificently-painted portraits. His feet halted of their own accord in front of a particular portrait that seemed to paralyse his entire body. It was a simple portrait of a man with a head of ebony hair, a sharp jawline, and soft yet unyielding blue eyes that weren't quite blue but more clear. He was seated in a majestic velvet-cushioned chair with gold laced into the wood carvings of the chair. He sat with dignity, right leg crossed over left, both his forearms resting on the armchair and a posture befitting a man of his regal appearance. The same exact military coat that the prince had previously adorned over his shoulders was being worn by this man; and now that Eren considered it, he  _looked_ like Levi, except older, with more wrinkles around his eyes, and a taller stature.

A woman in a beautiful, deep cerise gown with gold lining and a low neckline stood by his side, her right hand placed delicately on his left shoulder and her beautiful dark-brown hair cascaded down the front of her body in perfect ringlets; her hair adorned with small jewel clips glimmering in her curls and a small, diamond-encrusted hair comb pinned onto the side of her hair. Unlike the man next to her, she graced the viewer with a delicate smile. Eren felt a small spark of recognition, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. He couldn't have possibly known these people whom he had never even met before. He was ready to take off again after wringing himself out of his reverence but the wind was swept out of his lungs and he plummeted towards the carpeted ground with a heavy body following on top.

He grunted in pain, intaking a sharp breath of air as a mechanism to recover from the shock of being slammed into. "I told you to halt!" Levi growled, pinning Eren's wrist down with a brutally bruising grip.

"Let go of me you short bastard!" Eren yelled, flailing his entire restrained body to no avail. He had him locked. 

"Did you just scorn me?" Levi hissed, narrowing his eyes at Eren darkly. 

"I certainly wasn't praising you." The hold on his wrists tightened and he unintentionally allowed a small whimper to escape his lips.

"I will excuse your impudence, Eren."

Eren struggled again, though a bit less hopeful of having the man budge even the slightest. "Give it up, Eren. You cannot escape, and even if you miraculously manage to, I will hunt you down and bring you back."

The boy snarled at Levi who arched an eyebrow. "Though, that isn't a bad expression."

"Go to Hell!" Eren hissed, gathering all the spit he could in his mouth until it felt dry and spitting the fluid onto the bruise he had graced the prince with earlier. Eren felt only a split-second sense of satisfaction before his pupils dilated in fear; the dark-haired man wiped the disgusting wet blotch off his face, flicking the substance to the side with feral eyes seeming to murder Eren countless times. He snarled at Eren, baring his sharp canines at him; Eren couldn't imagine the pain he would feel if those daggers he called teeth pierced his skin. The prince leant down towards Eren, and the boy reflexively squeezed his eyes shut, fearing the strike that man was about to unleash on him—It never came.

"Remember this Eren," a deep, warm breath snarled into his ear, Levi's lips brushing against the shell of Eren's ear in the slightest as he enunciated his words. Eren shivered at the ghost of a touch. "I only have so much tolerance." He moved down towards Eren's neck, his dark locks tickling Eren's face as he did so, the hot breath fanning over a spot on his neck as Eren unwittingly arched his neck back for Levi. 

"What-"

His retort was cut short and replaced by a gasp, followed by a whining cry as razor teeth sunk into  the crook of his neck, severe enough to draw blood, which he hoped wasn't the case. "Le-Levi," Eren softly cried out, his submissive instincts beginning to pool through once again. "Please- Levi-" 

Levi harshly sucked on the same spot, making Eren struggle from the discomfort. It hurt—Whatever Levi was doing to him stung and he wished for it to stop. A slick tongue lapped at the sore spot in a soothing manner and the brunet subconsciously sighed a breath of relief at the comforting gesture. The prince pulled back, peering at Eren before a small, smug tug on his lips formed.

"What did you do to me?!" Eren growled, the spot was grossly wet and he wanted to scratch at the heated area.

"Levi, I brought the sedative," Erwin called as he approached the two with a thick vile of limpid liquid sloshed around in the small glass tube. It only took a matter of seconds for Eren to realise what they were planning to do.

"No," Eren breathed out, his viridian eyes widening in horror. "No, not again!"

He wildly thrashed around, screaming in blind protest as a firm hand steadied his face, forcing it to stay in place. "Eren, do not make this harder than it need be," Erwin tried to advise Eren as he popped the cork of the vial open with the other hand. "It would not be pleasant to have to use more force on you."

"Screw you all," Eren spat through clenched teeth. He would not let them drug him again! 

"Eren, open your mouth."

His eyes remained indignant as he set his jaw, and tightened his lips. Erwin sighed released the grip on Eren's jaw. A stabbing pain pierced Eren's side and he gasped in shock, eyes wide as the blonde soldier used the moment of leverage to shove the vial into Eren's mouth, the thick liquid burning his throat as it slowly entered his system. Erwin had Eren's head locked in place and the liquid scorched his insides, forcing him to down it all. Tears pricked Eren's eyes as he felt a numbing sensation spread throughout his body and his muscles relaxed, eyelids drooping. His eyelids blocked his vision and the last thing he felt was firm arms swooping him up and his head leaning against a robust chest, the steady beating of a heart the lullaby to his coma. 

* * *

 

Eren placed the spoon down, letting Isabel take the tray away from him and place it on the nightstand where it originally was. "The food is great, right?! The cooks here really are great!"

"We had a deal, yes?"

Isabel seemed a bit crestfallen at Eren's lack of enthusiastic responses and he felt a small twinge of regret—although it didn't last long. He was fidgety to get out. "Yeah." Isabel stood up, "let's go."

Eren threw the covers off of himself, his naked feet hitting the icy stone floor and cold shivers through his body. Isabel opened the wide, round-topped door for him that led to an dark space. A strange sense of nostalgia wracked his brain as he stood in the darkness, unable to see anything but an abyss. Isabel locked the door and took hold of Eren's hand, guiding him down the steps of the tower. How she managed to lead both of them down the winding steps of the tower without faltering, he couldn't fathom. Another door clicked open and bright light momentarily muddled Eren. 

"The garden is very beautiful," Isabel abruptly spoke up as she led Eren down the hall. He took note of the scuttering, almost frantic servants performing their assigned tasks or helping each other. The castle was bustling with life and it reminded him faintly of Shiganshina's market. 

"My mother had a garden," Eren murmured, reminiscing of his mother's small vegetable bed that she had grown to conserve the notes they would have had to use on food bought from town. Isabel peered up at him with interested jade-green eyes. "There was also a flower bed. She loved daisies the most—Said they reminded her of me." A bittersweet smile formed on his lips as he recalled one particular time with his mother.

_Eren plucked a small flower with a aureous center and white petals surrounding it from his mother's garden, studying it with a childish innocence. "Eren!" Carla suddenly shouted, taking the flower from Eren's hand, who frowned up at her._

_"You can't do that!"_

_"But Ma, I just wanted to look at it."_

_Carla squatted down to be level with her son. "Flowers are living things too, Eren. They may not be able to speak the same language as us, but they speak their own. You see this flower?" She held up the flower that Eren had pulled, and he nodded. "This is called a daisy. It reminds me of you, you know?"_

_"Why?" His big, green eyes looked up at her and the flower with pure awe. The spring air was warm, and the breeze gently blew Carla's hair and dress gently as the golden rays of the sun beamed down at her, giving her an angelic glow._

_"Daisies represent innocence and purity," she explained, placing the small flower behind Eren's ear. She brushed the back of her fingers against his cheek, smiling down at him softly. "I hope you stay that way, forever."_

A fragile-looking female servant ran into Isabel, the collision knocking both of them down as the maid landed on Isabel, who grunted in pain. Eren was snapped out of his recollection as the two groaned in pain, rubbing their foreheads. Eren moved to help the two girls up as Isabel began to lecture the girl who was removing herself from atop the red-head but he suddenly remembered: This is his chance! He made a break for it, zipping past the two as Isabel shouted after him. His bare feet seemed to not touch the floor as he sprinted past doors and servants, who seemed bewildered at the fleeing boy. He turned the corner and his mind acted faster than his body as he saw a soldier with short dirty-blonde hair escorting escorting a beautiful maiden with soft strawberry-blonde hair. He crashed into the soldier, landing atop of him.

"Hey, watch where you're going you-!" He stopped, sniffing Eren whose eyes were wide with anxiety. "You're an escapee!"

"What-?!" Eren was flipped and held against the floor, his arms tied behind him with a cloth as he squirmed in the grasp. "Let go of me! What do you think you're doing?!"

"I don't know how you escaped," the man muttered, irritation evident in his voice, "but I'm returning you."

He damned Levi for alerting his men to capture him if he ever escaped from that accursed tower. The soldier hauled Eren up, and pushed him along. "I apologise, Petra, but I will have to cut our tour short."

Eren glared at the old man who was too obvious in the fact that he had an infatuation for the pretty woman who offered him a small smile. "It is alright, Auruo. I understand." Her eyes flickered to Eren a moment and directed a pitying look towards him. 

His eyebrows etched together as he watched the maiden walk away, her cream gown flowing behind her. What was that look about? The old man named Auruo pushed him forward, leading him down halls with a tight grip on his upper arm. They were going the opposite way from where Eren had been held in the tower, but where was he being taken?

"Where are you taking me?" Eren asked as the man pulled him along. He sneered down at Eren, an ugly gesture the boy really didn't need.

"Just stay quiet." He opened a door to a pitch-black room and shoved Eren in; he could only feel despair and hopelessness being emitted from the room. Eren protested as he was forced to bend down, the cloth removed from his wrists as he was thrust into a narrow space.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Eren shouted as his hands felt cold bars and a click told him he was locked in what he deduced to be a cage. "Let me out of here you ugly old man!"

A kick to his cage startled him and he backed away to the other side of the iron box. "I'm not old, you little shit," Auruo hissed, before opening the door to the room again and in that second of dim lighting from the hall outside, he saw them. The other children taken captive were all in their own small cages—some huddled in the corner, rocking back and forth and muttering incoherent phrases under their breath while others seemed to have lost hope entirely as they lay on the cage floor, their eyes listless as they hugged their knees to their chest. 

Then, he saw the one person he had longed to see other than his parents—Armin. He sat in the cage right next to his, head buried in his knees as he held them to his chest. "Armin!" The blonde's head shot up but he didn't see Eren because they were enveloped in an abyss once more. 

"Eren?" A pause, "Eren?! Is that you?"

"Yes, Armin! It's me!" He edged closer to Armin's cage, reaching his hand out. "Armin, I'm right here. I'm right next to you."

A raw hand found his and he shuddered as the small blonde's quivering hand clasped around Eren's warm one. "I-I thought you died," Armin cried, holding Eren's hand as tight as possible. Eren squeezed his hand in reassurance. 

"I'm right here," Eren murmured as he heard the blonde sob. "What's happening?"

"We're- We're-" Armin stammered between sobs, sniffling and beginning to break down.

"Armin, calm down," Eren tried to assuage, though his voice wavered and he seemed ready to fall apart too. Loud chattering startled him and he jumped in surprise, accidentally squeezing Armin's cold hand tighter as he did so. 

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! A boisterous voice boomed as the many voices that intermingled began to grow. Eren held his breath as haughty laughter of both men and women filled the once silent air.

"Armin, what's going on?" Eren whispered to Armin, whose breathing was becoming ragged.

"It's-" He intoned in a quavering, cracked voice, "it's all over."

"Armin!" Eren pleaded, becoming desperate. "What's happening?!"

Armin stammered incoherent words which died off into a forlorn whimper. "Princesses, Princes, nobles, and wealthy merchants of the world!" The booming voice assiduously said again, "it is an honour to have you partake our kingdom's auction."

Clapping ensued and Eren released a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding in. What the hell was going on? An auction? What the hell is that? Another door, this one wider and taller than the one Eren had been brought in by, opened and two burly men dressed in the king's colours took a cage with a small weeping boy in it. He pounded his tiny fists on the bars, wailing and screaming incomprehensible words. He couldn't have been older than five and he made eye-contact with Eren, his big brown doe-eyes pleading Eren to help in any way. Then, he disappeared behind the curtain periwinkle velvet veiling the open doors, and the doors shut close once more.

"What the hell was that?!" Eren hissed, shaking Armin's hand frantically. He wanted answers, but was receiving none and he felt he was on the brink of insanity. 

"We're being sold off.." Armin finally explained, eerily calmer, but his hands still trembled. "They're selling us to nobles and rich merchants."

"What?!" 

Clapping ensued once more and laughter filled the audience. "This is the end, Eren," Armin cried, breaking into a hysterical cry again. "We're going to die at the hands of a sleazy rich man!"

"No we're not!" Eren gently squeezed Armin's hand. "I'll find a way out of this."

"What are you gonna do?!" The blonde boy shot back and Eren was glad Armin couldn't see him because his face crumpled when he realised there wasn't much he could do.

"... I'll figure it out, just- just trust me, okay?"

"Eren, we're going to die."

"No! I won't let that happen! I promise." Eren used his other hand to clasp around their entwined hands. "I promise, I'll get us out of here."

The door opened again and dim light poured into the room once more. The two bulky men came towards Armin and he began to chant the word 'no' as they approached his cage. The two men picked up the iron prison as tears flooded Armin's eyes. "No!" Armin screamed, holding Eren's hands in a death-grip. 

"Stop!" Eren yelled, trying to pull Armin to him, "take me instead!"

"How annoying," one of the men muttered as he tore apart Eren's and Armin's once entwined hands. They began to take Armin away and Eren rattled his cage, the grip on the bars so tight his knuckles turned pale.

"Don't take him! I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you! You damned monsters!"

"Eren, Eren," Armin whimpered as he huddled into the corner of his cage.

"Armin! I'll find you! You and I, we'll see our families again!" Armin looked at him with desperate azure eyes one last time, reaching out a hand through the space between the bars and Eren imitated the action as he disappeared around the curtain. "I promise.."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I jumped onto the hype train (with no regrets) and made a tumblr! It's ridiculously addicting but difficult to use and I get frustrated with it because it's confusing. Also, ask me for a follow if you want me to follow back~
> 
> Anyhow, I will be accepting:  
> ~Oneshot/Short-story requests (If supplied AO3 name, I will gift it to you)  
> ~Any questions you lovey booties happen to hit me in the face with  
> ~Prompts to create a spontaneous few-sentence/paragraph story for
> 
> I hope to interact with you all soon <3 (No really, I have like 0 tumblr buddies ;_; I'm living the sad, loner life. LET'S BE BTFs)
> 
>  
> 
> <http://levi-wants-jaeger-booty.tumblr.com/>


	8. I'm sorry

Hello everyone~

This obviously isn't the update that everyone was anticipating but I'm here to make a solemn announcement. 

I have decided to discontinue this fic. It took me a long while to finalise this decision but I truly believe I cannot write any longer. I tried so many times... So, so many times to update this fic; to update any of my fics but I couldn't do it. I had actually planned to update this fic a week after I released chapter 7 but... My life crumbled.

I'm suffering through depression and dealing with a void I can't seem to fill. I am so sorry to everyone. I loved this fic, I love this fic, and I love all of my readers so it honestly does bring me a great deal of heartrending pain to have to conclude to this.

Every single time I went on AO3, I was momentarily happy and I tried to write up chapter 8 but I faced writer's block and was bombarded by my thoughts of depression again. I feel so pathetic. I couldn't overcome this wall and I'm sorry. I don't know if I will even update my other fics anymore. I might but the reason I know I can't update this anymore is because I lost my touch with this particular fic. I don't feel the happiness, the excitement, the anxious desire to update and to respond to every comment anymore. 

This apology isn't enough, and it will never be enough, I know that. But, I don't think I can continue writing any longer if I lost my passion for it. I may, and let me emphasis,  **may,** update my other fics but.. I'm not sure. Or, I might just write one-shots from now on. If I manage to pull myself out of the depression I'm in, I will most likely take up writing again, but probably short-stories or oneshots only. But as of now, wracking my brain to update just contributes to my stress and I cannot handle it.

I am sincerely sorry and I hope you all understand.

If you wish to contact me, please check my bio for my tumblr and I will answer any unresolved questions you may have and I am willing to take any complaints/dissatisfied comments. I know I deserve those complaints, so do not worry, I will not be mad or upset.

Once again, I am sorry.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave constructive criticism~ Thank you <3


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